Shinigami trouble
by Solaris
Summary: A new Shinigami comes to the Urahara Shōten, an accident happens which scares the young Shinigami. Can Kisuke and the others help her?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Shinigami trouble.

Author: Beth Brownell

Summary: A new Shinigami comes to the Urahara Shōten, an accident happens which scares the young Shinigami. Can Kisuke and the others help her?

Rating: PG13 to R (If I allow Kisuke-san to be a pervert or maybe let Renji have sex with his new girlfriend, which might be in the works.)

Pairings: Kisuke/Yoruichi, Renji/OFC.

Spoilers: The Soul Society arch.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Bleach, that right belongs to Kubo Tite, just the original characters. I'll try not to hurt them or make them seem too out of character.

Author's Note: I am writing this story from a dream that I had several nights ago. I'll try not to hurt them.

Shinigami trouble.

It was noon, when Kisuke stepped from his shop to light his pipe that he had in hand, he allowed his employees to have the day off and that he'll tend to the store by himself. He leanded against the side of his shop watching as the smoke from his pipe faded into the air. He smiled to himself under his green and white striped hat as he noticed that a Shinigami was approaching his store, he slipped back into the store with the pipe still smoldering in his hand. He reached behind his counter for some candy that the young Shinigami usually came for. "Afternoon, Tamika. The usual?"

"Not today, Kisuke-san. Just some candy, I'm already stocked on the other stuff." Tamika said, as she told the shop owner what she wanted and paid for them. "I'll probably see you in another couple of days. I'm going on a hun . . ., that's strange I thought I felt something just a moment ago,"

"What did you feel?" he asked, as the familiar grin appeared on his face as he looked at her.

"I'm not sure, it felt like a Hollow and a Shinigami fighting but it is close by. But it's probably nothing. I'm probably nervous about searching for more souls to send to the Soul Society," Tamika replied. "After a hundred ' i soul hunts /i ' I am still nervous about it."

Kisuke just smiled as he bagged the candy up and handed it to her. "Some can be nervous but that makes you more aware of things around you,"

She reached for the bag when the sound of the roof collapsing was heard. Kisuke with the speed of a cat, yanked her over the counter and underneath him as the roof fell into the store, encasing them in a rocky grave.

It took several minutes before Kisuke spoke, his voice soft and gentle. "Tamika, are you alright?"

Tamika cocked her head to one side. "I think so." She tried to move only to cry out in pain. "I think I broke something. My right leg is hurting and I think it is pinned underneath something."

Kisuke smirked as he tried to feel under his belly to feel her body searching for the broken part or where she was pinned at. "We're both pinned. But I really can't tell what you broke."

"Think someone will search for us?" asked Tamika.

"Knowing my employees, they'll be here pulling off the debris as soon as they heard anything about the collapse. They will get us out," he whispered. "But for now, just stay calm and breathe easily. We will be out soon."

"I hope so, Kisuke-san." Tamika whispered, as she felt his hand take hold of hers. She was in pain and knew it. But would he be okay with her closing her eyes for a bit. "I'm going to close my eyes for a bit, Kisuke-san."

Kisuke whispered loudly. "No, if you do you might not wake up again. Stay awake with me, Tamika."

"I feel sleepy, Kisuke-san."

"It's just the shock of the accident that has you sleepy. Just stay awake, we will be out of here," Kisuke pleaded in a loud whisper.

Ichigo and his friends made their way to Urahara's shop only to find them barricaded away from the shop itself. They pushed their way to the front of the crowd and to their shock were two destroyed shops. The fireman nearest to the line was talking with another fireman. "It looks like we may have half a dozen people in the Urahara shop. Being the noon time hour, he was probably busy when the other wall collapsed in on the shop."

Ichigo turned to look at the others and silently nodded as he grabbed the fireman's arm. "Can we help in the rescue? The more people there are removing the debris, the faster we will find survivors?"

The fireman looked at the boy and his friends. "Hold on, let me talk with the supervisor," The fireman walked away from them to another man who was yelling off orders. They spoke for several minutes till the fireman pointed towards them.

"Ichigo, think we will find Kisuke okay?" Tessai asked, as the large man came behind him.

"Tessai! Then, you and the others aren't in there?" asked Rukia, looking relieved and yet still worried.

He shook his head. "Kisuke-san gave us the day off. He's working alone in there."

"What about Yoruichi? Is she in the shop too?" asked Chad.

"I'm not even in the shop today, I was outside sleeping in the sun at the local park." Yoruichi stated, in a huff.

"Sorry, but we're worried about Kisuke. He's trapped in there with who knows how many customers and who knows who the pervert is groping." Ichigo stated.

The others laughed as they turned their attention towards the heavy machines that was coming towards the destroyed building. It was slow going but they got some of the heavier pieces off of the shop so that people could start on the rescue attempt. The fireman came by and asked for volunteers. Ichigo and his friends raised their voices as the fireman allowed them to cross the line and start helping pull debris off of the shop.

They started to work hard on pulling the debris, the heavier debris came down with the help of Tessai. They spent a good half hour before they found part of the counter.

Ichigo yelled out, "I found the counter, if Kisuke was here this will most likely be where he is at! Kisuke! Kisuke, can you hear me it's Ichigo!"

Kisuke was talking with Tamika trying to keep her awake, talking about the Soul Society and what has been happening up there. Tamika tried to stay awake but it was hard, till she heard a voice yell out.

"Kisuke, I think there's people up there!"

Kisuke stopped talking for a moment and to his joy he heard Ichigo's voice yelling out for him. He raised his voice, "Ichigo! Ichigo! We're trapped!"

Ichigo listened and yelled out, "I found them!" He started to pull pieces of the wall off of the area as everyone converged onto that location and started to clear the area. "Kisuke, how many are with you and is anyone hurt?"

Kisuke squeezed Tamika's hand and yelled out, "I have one person and she's pinned underneath me! And get that thought out of your mind, young man! I'm not that perverted!"

Tamika could only laugh at that comment. But she could feel the weight becoming less on her legs. "They're close."

Kisuke nodded as he kept yelling out to them as they started to really clear the area.

Ichigo started to remove one piece of the wall when he found a leg that was badly bruised and bloodied. He reached down and felt the leg and to his shock got a scream of pain coming from below. "It's okay! Hey guys! I found them! And we have injuries! Bad ones from what I can tell. I need at least two splints!"

Kisuke looked at Tamika when suddenly she screamed out in pain and then he heard Ichigo's voice call out about her injuries and then he whispered to Tessai to get Orihime to apply the splints and use her talents. Kisuke gave her hand a squeeze and whispered to her. "Everything is going to be okay. They found us and we're going to be free soon."

"I hope so. Ow! That hurts! Oh it hurts!" she cried out, as she felt the splints being placed on her calves and moved slightly as a different pair of hands holding her legs up as more debris was removed from Kisuke's back. "Kisuke, the pain is gone?"

"That must be Orihime's talent in use. She probably healed your broken bones if you had any." Kisuke replied in a low voice.

More voices were heard as the load of weight came off of Kisuke's back, he slumped against Tamika when that happened as he was using his back to hold some of the debris to keep a good amount of space for air in there.

Kisuke moaned in relief as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He tilted his head up to see the grinning face of Tessai looking down at him as orders were given to put a backbrace on Kisuke's back, along with a neck brace and hauled him out of there. Kisuke complained bitterly about that fact but Tessai whispered, "Let them have their way, Kisuke-san, when they find out you are okay, you will be released from the neckbrace and the backbrace. Now for your friend."

Kisuke was lifted out of the hole and hauled into a waiting ambulance, with Ichigo by his side. Kisuke looked at Ichigo. "Where is Tamika?"

"Tamika?" asked Ichigo.

"Yes, she's the girl that I helped protect from the collapse." Kisuke stated, as he tried to get up from the stretcher. "She's in shock and could pass out at any time. I must stay with her."

The EMT shook his head as both he and Ichigo held him down. The EMT spoke, "The others will keep her from passing out, trust them."

"I did examine her and she might have two broken legs, Kisuke." Ichigo stated.

Kisuke moaned as he closed his eyes. "I was too slow in pulling her over the counter then,"

"But you did save her life, Kisuke. If you didn't and let her remain where she was, she would have surely been crushed to death." Ichigo replied.

Back at the store, Tessai had reached where Kisuke was at as he helped place a neckbrace and a backboard on the young woman. He eased her over onto her back and the EMT who was there helped in hauling her out of the cavern of a counter. After they got her out, the EMT quickly got an IV into her arm which made her cry out in pain. The EMT gave her some mild painkillers to dull the pain before they got her to the clinic where they would give her a bigger dose of painkillers. The EMT placed a heart monitor on her as he watched the line go up and down rapidly, he grew shocked when they went slow as he flipped his attention to the girl to find her passed out. He heard the giant of a man lightly slap her face calling out to her to stay awake but the girl had passed out.

The EMT turned to the man. "Will you accompany us to the clinic, the Kurosaki clinic? You seem to know the girl."

"I don't even know her that well. She's a customer in the store." Tessai stated.

"Anyways, will you come?" the EMT asked.

He nodded. "My boss is at there as well, he was the one we pulled out first."

The EMT yelled to his partner to go as they buckled up for the swift ride to the Kurosaki clinic as they were a Trauma One unit. Tessai watched as the EMT tended to the young girl. He wondered about his boss. How badly hurt was he and how would they repair the shop? The others would not have the shop for at least a month or two maybe even more with them repairing the shop. Kisuke would have to open another shop nearby or have everyone miss out on their ' i candy /i ' that they love to get there.

At the Kurosaki clinic, the doctor ran tests on Kisuke to be sure that there was no injuries hidden or visible. To their amazement, all Kisuke had was minor scratches and a sore back. They wanted to keep him overnight but Kisuke stated that he would rather rest in his own home. The female nurse couldn't resist his soft voice and had Dr. Kurosaki release him as soon as possible. Kisuke walked into the waiting room where Yoruichi nearly knocked him over with her hug. He told them that he got a clean bill of health but he wanted to know about Tamika.

"Ichigo, our strawberry is still with her. Maybe one of the nurses could get him for us?" asked Chad.

Kisuke turned his head as he noticed the door opening up and out come Ichigo. "Well, he can tell us himself. How is she?"

Ichigo walked up to the others and smiled. "How about no broken bones, minor scratches and she can be sent home tomorrow. Dad did not like how she passed out in the ambulance and he wants her to spend the night here."

"I'm staying then," Kisuke stated.

"If you are staying, then I too, will remain." Yoruichi replied.

"I'll take you two to the room she'll be staying in tonight, they might have moved her there already." Ichigo said, as he lead Kisuke and Yoruichi down the hall to a set of rooms, which he entered one to see the red haired Shinigami sleeping soundly in the bed. "I have never seen such a red haired Shinigami before."

"She usually hides her hair in a hood. Tamika is what they called the hooded Shinigami." Yoruichi said, as she looked at Ichigo and then to Tamika.

"I met her several times, Ichigo. This was not her first visit to my shop." Kisuke stated, as he went to the farthest chair and sat down within it to watch Tamika sleep.

"So what special ops team was she in? The 11th or one of the others?" Ichigo asked.

Kisuke remained silent as he watched them stand there. Ichigo shifted on his feet before turning to Yocuichi and telling her he'll get her another chair to sit on before he left the room.

"You know she's just barely out of the academy, Kisuke," Yocuichi whispered.

"Meh," was all he said, before looking at Ichigo who was hauling in another chair.

Yocuichi went and helped him place the chair near to Tamika's side before watching the strawberry haired boy walk out of the room.

The two Shinigami spoke to each other till late that night when Yocuichi curled up in the chair and fell fast asleep. Kisuke smiled softly as he watched them sleep. He rose from the chair and slipped out of the room to see the elder Kurosaki approaching him.

"How do you feel, Kisuke?" He asked in a low whisper. Kisuke only smiled. "No soreness in your back or legs? Now how is she doing?"

Kisuke grinned. "Sleeping."

The elder Kurosaki slipped within the room and checked the monitors before heading out saying good night to the two watchers and closing the door behind him and headed for the waiting room to make sure that the others had gone home which they did. Only then, did he head for his own home and to the bed that awaited him.

It was later that night, Kisuke heard moans as he opened one eye and then another to look in the direction of Yocuichi and then to Tamika who was moaning in her sleep. He sat up and watched as the young Shinigami moaned in her sleep. ' i Nightmare. This could be interesting, /i '

He noticed that Yocuichi had awakened and was standing near to the girl. He wanted to see if she would calm down on her own or would she take to having Yocuichi's help. He didn't have to wait long before she bolted up in bed looking around.

Yocuichi was already trying to soothe her fright with comforting words but the girl didn't hear her or wanted to hear her as she searched around the room before collasping back onto the bed and falling asleep again. "Kisuke, did you see that?"

Kisuke barely nodded his head as he observed them.

"She had a nightmare or was it a waking dream?"

"A waking dream sounds like it," Kisuke whispered softly.

They resumed their watch on her and soon, Yocuichi fell asleep curled up in Kisuke-san's lap as a black cat with him stroking her fur.

The next morning came in the room, to find five people within the room. Dr. Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo, Kisuke, Yocuichi and Tamika. "Well, as soon as I make the last examination on your legs, Tamika. I'll get the papers and release you. But there is one slight problem."

"And that would be?" asked Tamika.

"You have a minor concussion from the debris and it won't be totally gone for at least couple of days. Do you have family here?"

"No family, I live alone," Tamika replied.

"Well, that will mean you will be staying here for the next two days then,"

Tamika moaned out in despair as she lowered her head.

"What if someone was to stay with her at her place, dad?" asked Ichigo.

"What?" Isshin asked.

"What if she invites some friends over to spend the night with her? Like having a group of her friends who will make sure that nothing goes wrong? I'm sure her friends would do that for her." Ichigo said.

"Smart boy. Tamika, do you have friends who would stay with you for couple of days?" Isshin asked.

She lowered her head after she looked at them. "Sadly, I do not."

Ichigo smiled. "Well, you do now. I'll get my friends to come with me. I'm sure that they'll want to help you." Before a word could be spoken, the young man raced out of the room and down the hallway.

**TBC . . .**

**I am thinking about changing the title and maybe the summary.**

**Please help me with the title and maybe the summary.**

**Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story._

**Chapter Two. **

"Hey guys, we got a slight problem." Ichigo said as he rushed into the waiting room to see his friends sitting around.

"What type of problem?" Chad asked.

"Well, Tamika has a minor concussion from the collapse and she's able to be released but not if there is anyone at her place to watch her. She has no one to pop in and wake her every two hours like my dad wants done. I offered myself and you guys for the job since she has no friends and no family to care for her. I hope you guys don't mind me volunteering you for such a job," Ichigo said.

Uryû Ishida asked, "Why doesn't her friends help her?"

Ichigo looked at him and replied. "She doesn't have any friends at all plus by what she told my dad, she has no parents to watch her either."

Orihime looked at Ichigo. "What happened to her folks or did she make mention of what happened to them?"

Ichigo shook his head. "She made no mention of them but for stating that they were dead."

"That's so sad," Orihime said.

Ichigo looked at his friends. "So are you guys going to help me watch her?"

Uryû and Orihime spoke at the same time. "Yes, I'll help." Both blushed when they looked at each other.

Chad nodded as he stood up. "I'll help too."

"Good, I'll tell father." Ichigo turned and headed back to the room where Tamika was at. "Dad, they agreed. We have at least four people to watch her for the next two days."

Isshin turned to look at Tamika. "Well, I can release you into my son's care. But first things first, how will you get to your home?"

Tamika smiled. "The bus or we can walk as it is not that far from the Urahara's store."

Ichigo replied. "We'll walk it then. There is no need to use the bus."

"Okay, now after you get home to bed you go and no refusals as I'll give my son full right to throw you into your bed if you don't." Isshin said firmly.

Tamika looked at them and sighed as she looked down at her legs. "Okay, so can I go home now?"

Isshin smiled and nodded. "Yes, you may go home. My son and his friends will walk with you home and will watch over you till the concussion is better."

Tamika looked at him and asked, "My clothes are not cut apart, are they?"

"No, they aren't." Isshin stated, as he handed them to her.

"Good," she wobbled her way into the bathroom and changed there, even though she kept part of the door open so she could see out of.

Ichigo stood there waiting as Kisuke and Yoruichi headed out of the room with Isshin following behind. Ichigo whistled to himself as he stood there waiting for Tamika.

Tamika came up from behind him and spoke, "So shall we go?"

Ichigo leapt out of fright before he glared at her. "Sure, let's go collect my friends. I'll introduce them to you so you know who you are inviting into your home." He walked out of the room and to the waiting room where the others were waiting for him.

Soon, Tamika was introduced to the others. She knew who Uryû Ishida was by looking at him as she called him the Last Quincy to his embarrassment. But she smiled at him before they walked out of the clinic. She led them towards where the Urahara shop was located at.

Ichigo asked, after he walked up next to her. "We're going past the Urahara shop, why?"

"The home that some of the Shinigami uses is just past his shop, Ichigo." Tamika replied as she looked at him. "Don't be too surprised. There are many homes around here that belong to the Shinigami. We use them all and sometimes we don't and live with others who know what we are but those are few and far between."

They walked a few more blocks till they came across the blocked entrance to the Urahara shop. Tamika stopped and looked at the ruins of the shop to see Kisuke and the others standing there discussing what they would do as in rebuilding the shop.

"Tamika, so good to see you up and walking." Kisuke said, as he fanned his face with his white fan after he noticed that they were there.

She smiled and bowed slightly towards him. "Thank you, Kisuke-san. But I am not out of trouble for the next few days. And hopefully, they don't send '_him_' down here."

"Meh, they probably won't." Kisuke replied.

"I hope not, I am perfectly fine," Tamika stated, just as she wobbled on her feet. No one noticed the shadow hidden behind Tessai.

Ichigo noticed it and spoke up. "We better get you to your home, Tamika, you are starting to wobble. Bye Kisuke-san." He gently nudged her to start moving towards her home.

Tamika smiled as she lead them another five blocks before going up a few steps into a house and opened the door. "This is the house that I use when I am here. A few other Shinigami use it as well but they left for the Soul Society already so the house is basically empty for the next two weeks."

After they got into the house to find that it was well furnished with Japanese furniture and locating all the rooms that they would be using, Ichigo had Orihime take Tamika to her room and get her into bed.

Orihime looked at Tamika. "Who is '_him_'?"

"Wha?" asked Tamika, as she pulled off her clothes and got into her white kimono that she used as a nightgown. She slipped into the bed that Orihime got ready for her.

Orihime looked at her. "Who is the one you are worried about being sent here?"

Tamika blushed as she lowered her head before she looked at her. "Don't tell the others. But it's Renji Abarai, he is . . . "

"He's a Shinigami. I know who he is. He goes to the same school that Ichigo does." Orihime stated.

She looked away. "Oh, then he might be residing within one of the other houses. I hope he doesn't come and be a bother."

"Why?"

"Oh if he knew I was injured he would come to make sure that I was getting the proper care or haul me back to Soul Society to make sure that I would." Tamika stated, as she leaned back against the pillow.

"Oh hopefully he'll understand that you are getting the proper care. Now sleep, I'll wake you in two hours," Orihime replied, as she looked at her.

Tamika nodded and closed her eyes to the sleep that was trying to overtake her. She saw Orihime pull the blankets over her before everything went dark on her.

Ichigo had just emerged from one of the rooms when he saw Orihime emerge from Tamika's room. "Is she asleep?"

Orihime nodded. "Also, she warned me of another Shinigami who might come here and be a bother."

"Who would that be?" Uryû Ishida asked.

"Renji Abarai,"

Ichigo slapped his face with his hand. "Why would he be here?"

"You know he goes to the same school that we all do, Ichigo. He probably will have some type of device to track her down like he did with Rukia." Uryû Ishida replied.

"Maybe and maybe not, I'll go search for him if he is around," Ichigo said, as he approached the door.

"But your father wants you to watch over Tamika, Ichigo," Orihime stated.

Ichigo slapped his forehead. "That's right. All we can do is hope that he doesn't come here and be a bother. But why would Renji be concerned over a lone Shinigami? The only one who he would be that concerned about would be Rukia."

The others all had a puzzled look on their faces as they knew the tall red head's admiration for Rukia that bordered between like and love, but what other secrets did the tall red head have. They didn't know and probably to ask him would get their heads taken off as the red head was also very private about his private life.

Ichigo pulled out of his school bag that he brought with him, his homework and started to work on it. The others followed suit knowing that it was probably the best idea since it would be quite boring there even with the TV set turned on.

It was no more than an hour later, that they heard a cry coming from Tamika's room. Orihime and Ichigo was there first only to see Tamika moaning in her sleep. Orihime looked at Ichigo and spoke, "Nightmare?"

Ichigo nodded. "Better wake her from it."

"Right," Orihime went to her side and gently shook her awake. Tamika looked around with eyes full of fright and then she slipped back into a deep sleep. Orihime turned to look at Ichigo who shrugged his shoulders. "That's weird. She did have a nightmare but what was it about?"

They returned to the living room when Ichigo made the comment about the accident.

Orihime thought about it before she nodded. "She might be reliving it in her dreams. Maybe you should go see Kisuke and ask him if the gigai the false body might have dreams?"

Ichigo nodded and headed for the door when he stopped. "Someone would have to wake her in an hour?"

"Don't worry, I'll do it. Now go before he leaves the shop, Ichigo," Orihime stated.

Ichigo nodded before he hurried out of the house and down the street. It took him twenty minutes before he reached the Urahara Shôten to see Tessai standing there with Yoruichi talking to her. "Can I see Kisuke-san? I need to ask him a question?"

"He's in the underground arena right now, Ichigo." Yoruichi replied.

"Thanks," Ichigo went to where the tunnel was at and climbed down it to find Kisuke weilding Benihime, moving slowly as he practiced his fighting moves. Ichigo waited till he was done before speaking. "Kisuke, I have a question about the gigai, the false bodies that you allow the Shinigami to use while here?"

Kisuke glanced over at him after he transformed Benihime back into his cane and with a flick of his wrist, his fan was open and fanning his face. "Oh?"

"Do they have dreams?" asked Ichigo.

Kisuke fanned himself another minute before shutting his fan and looking at him from beneath his hat. "Depends on what kind they have."

"So they can dream?"

"Meh," Kisuke replied, as he popped open his fan once more.

"They can dream which means that they can have nightmares," Ichigo stated.

"They are like normal human bodies, they bleed, cry, feel pain, feel happiness, get pregnant, have dreams and various other normal human things," Kisuke replied, before he started to walk towards the ladder and climbed up to the surface of his ruined shop. "Tessai, the underground is still in good shape. I think we can start rebuilding the shop as soon as possible."

"Good, I'll start gathering the tools to rebuild the shop as it was before." Tessai stated, as he walked away.

Ichigo looked at Kisuke who was still fanning his face. "Anything else, Ichigo?"

Ichigo shook his head but then remembered. "Is Renji still hanging around here?"

"Meh," the sound of his fan closing. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, Tamika is worried that he'll show up at her home and be a bother," Ichigo said, as he started to walk away.

"Well, he shouldn't really worry unless she gives her powers to one of your friends," Kisuke replied.

"She can't. Not in the form she's in?"

"She can't only when she's in her Shinigami form could she give it to them," Kisuke stated as he opened his fan once more and started to fan his face as he turned away from Ichigo.

"Thank you," Ichigo bowed and left the shop for the home of Tamika.

The shadowed form emerged from behind Tessai. "What happened to her, Kisuke?"

"Accident. Might have some side effects being in closed areas." Kisuke said, before walking away with Tessai leaving the form behind and the form started to head in the direction where Ichigo headed in.

"Ichigo, any information on the faux bodies from Kisuke?" asked Uryû, looking at him as he entered the home.

"Yeah, they can do everything that we can which means she can have nightmares." Ichigo replied. "How is she?"

"She had another nightmare, this time she woke fully up. I was in the room about to wake her when she woke up screaming." Uryû stated.

"I had to help calm her down and reassure her that she's not in the collapsed shop anymore." Orihime replied.

Ichigo nodded. "Seems that we might have to help her get over the fear that she might have."

They nodded silently.

The shadowed form walked to the house cocked the head to the side before walking down the street. The shadowed form reappeared on the roof of the house and leaned against the wall like the person was waiting for something.

"Ichigo, do you think she'll be staying here for long?" asked Uryû. "I mean she probably will have to go to the high school to fit in around here, especially if she is seen around us."

"Probably, we can ask her when she recovers from her concussion," Ichigo replied, as he scratched something on his paper before returning to his books. "Gah, I hate math!"

"Having trouble?" Orihime asked, looking at him.

"Yeah," Ichigo showed her what he was doing and soon they were working on correcting the mistake. Ichigo slapped his head when he realized that it was a simple miscalculation on his part.

It was an hour later, Orihime glanced at the clock and hurried to the bedroom of Tamika to find the bed empty. She made a short cry of shock which brought the others into the room.

"Where is she?" griped Ichigo, looking in the room.

Chad noticed the bathroom light was on. "She might be in the bathroom, Ichigo."

Orihime headed to the bathroom to find Tamika splashing water on her face. "You okay?"

"Yes, just needed to use the bathroom and to get woken up." Tamika stated.

"Well, you still need to rest. A concussion is not to be taken lightly," Orihime replied, as she helped her back into her room.

"I know." Tamika said, as she went to her closet and pulled out some normal looking clothes.

Orihime got the others out of the room so she could dress. She sat there talking to Tamika while she pulled on her clothes. Tamika headed for the door and walked into the living room and then passed it as she went to the kitchen where she started to make some soup for everyone to eat as well as pulling some smoked salmon from the fridge.

After they had dinner, Ichigo noticed a feeling that he got and he told them that he had to go and shifted into his Shinigami form and raced off.

Tamika watched as he disappeared from view with a longing gaze.

"You want to go with him don't you?" asked Chad.

Tamika nodded. "It feels funny not being able to go on a hunt. My head is still out of it to where I wouldn't be able to shift out of this gigai very easily. But I wouldn't mind seeing him in action."

Orihime spoke up. "Come on then, we can probably figure out where he went."

They went racing out of the house and down the road. Uryû yelled out to them after he saw Ichigo standing in the middle of the park. They crept into the shadows and hid as they watched him fight off a big Hollow. It was then, they noticed another Shinigami coming to Ichigo's side.

"Renji!" Tamika whispered.

Orihime turned to look at her and whispered. "Do you know him?"

"I know of him, but not on a personal level." Tamika lied, as they watched as the orange haired and the red head destroy the Hollow before turning on each other and started to yell at each other.

Chad and Uryû went racing towards them hoping to stop them from killing each other before both men started to chuckle before grasping each other's hand before going off in their own direction.

Ichigo noticed that they were there. "What are you guys doing here? And what is she doing out of bed!"

"Well, I made them come with me. I wanted to see what the official substitute Shinigami could do." Tamika said.

"Well, what do you think?" Ichigo stated, arms crossed in front of him.

"I think you could have handled the Hollow without Renji's help. You were doing fine before he jumped in to help." Tamika replied, as they started to walk back home.

"Uh, gee thanks, Tamika." Ichigo said, as he shifted back to his normal human form. "So what division are you?"

"I prefer not speaking of my division, Ichigo." Tamika stated, before she glanced towards the boarded up Urahara shop and soon they were past it.

"Ooookay," Ichigo replied, as they kept walking towards her home.

The others wondered which division she was apart of now that she refused to speak of it. Orihime figured it might be the same one that Renji is a member of, but she would have to talk to the red head to find out and sometimes that was hard to do with him since at school he always stood off alone and if she went to his side, she have to act not like a friend but as someone trying to be his friend.

Ichigo wondered if Renji would know of her and which division she was in. He would have to ask him after pulling the red head away from his groupies at school. Who would have thought that he would be popular with the girls at school? Maybe it was because of the tattoos he had or that he just came off like a ladies man but the girls adored him.

Uryû watched as Tamika headed into the kitchen, he followed her just to help out if possible. He noticed that she was working on bringing down the rice cooker. "Can I help with that, Tamika?"

She turned to see him walking up. "Oh thank you, Uryû. I most appreciate it."

Uryû reached up to the third shelf and pulled the rice cooker down. "A better place for this would be left on the counter or in one of the lower cabinets."

"Yeah, but the previous Shinigami placed it up here even though I had it set down there," Tamika pointed towards the left lower cabinet by the stove. She went to another cabinet and pulled out a small bag of rice and then grabbed a wet/dry measure cup. She dealt with the rice before she turned to the fridge and opened it to reveal a fully stocked fridge. She pulled out chicken strips that were raw, and some smoked salmon.

Uryû watched as she cooked the chicken and placed out several plates. He tried to question her about her knowledge of Renji but she replied that everyone knew about him. "Surely, you know something about him? You have that look in your eyes that said more than your words did, Tamika."

"I don't really know much about him other than he's a lieutenant of the 6th division and he's not one you want to get between his target and him." Tamika stated, as she prepared several dishes.

"So why don't you have more Shinigamis here?" he asked.

"Because I refuse to have them here, even though I am one. Past history with them," Tamika stated, as she walked out of the kitchen and told the others that she had some food prepared.

The others wondered what would a Shinigami from Soul Society knew about cooking real food. They were shocked when they saw the food that she prepared. She was already off to the side munching on her own food.

"I lived here different times and learned how to cook this realm's food. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to put my wobbly body back to bed. I'll clean up in the morning," Tamika stated, as she headed for her room.

Uryû followed her into her room. "You seem a bit upset back there?"

"Sorry, I am not fond of some of them."

"What did they do?"

Tamika got up from her chair and closed the door. "Don't tell the others this."

"I won't."

"They allowed my parents who were right up to the status of lieutenant of the 9th division to die. The only ones who came to my parents' aid was those of the 6th division. The 9th division which my folks were apart of never came to their aid when they called for help." Tamika stated, in a huff.

"Your folks were slain by the Shinigami?" Uryû asked.

"Not exactly, they were slain by Hollows but they called for help from their division but they never came, only the 6th division showed up to help my parents even though it was too late when they arrived." Tamika replied. "I found out years later that the 9th division never went to their aid. Their captain thought my parents were getting too much praise when it came to hunting Hollows down that they refused to go to the summons for aid when my folks needed the help."

Uryû asked, "I can see why you hate them but why were you not there to help your folks?"

"I was still in training. I wasn't ready to go out on a mission yet." Tamika replied. "The ones who told me about their deaths was the Captain of the 6th division - Byakuya Kuchiki. He told me about their deaths but never made mention that my parents' main division never showed up till I became a Shinigami of their level."

"Of their level? What did he mean by that?"

"They could handle four Hollows at one time. I can do it but it leaves me weakened and vulnerable to attack." Tamika stated.

"So the Shinigami let your parents be killed?" Uryû Ishida asked.

Tamika nodded. "The 9th division's vice captain was the one who allowed my parents to be slain. I blame him for their deaths, no one else."

"I know how you feel. I may not be a Shinigami but a Quincy. My grandfather was slain by Hollows but the Shinigami came to his aid too late to be helpful to my grandfather. I blamed them for his death. But working side by side with Ichigo against the Hollows made me give up hating most of the Shinigami but for the current head of the 12th division. I don't like him very much." Uryû said.

"I have to agree with you there. I don't like him too. He's a mad scientist." Tamika replied, as she looked at him. "Some of the Shinigami are not all bad, they might be misguided but they are good souls."

"Like Byakuya and Renji?" Uryû asked.

Tamika smiled. "Do you know what most people call Byakuya, Uryû?"

He shook his head. He knew of one name – noble but he wasn't aware of any more names for the Aristocrat. "What do they call him, Tamika?"

"You know they call Yoruichi, the Goddess of the flash step. They call him the God of the flash step. He's a master at it. Even with his soft spoken self, when he wants to move, he moves like lightning. Not many Shinigami want to practice with him as he ends up defeating them before they even have a chance at hitting him." Tamika said, as she looked out the window.

"But for Renji?" asked Uryû.

"He usually will fight with him." Tamika responded, as she glanced at him. "I did on one occasion practice with him. I could not match his movements nor get my sword onto his flesh. He was just too fast for me."

"And he's very powerful spiritually," Uryû replied. Tamika nodded. "I better get back to the others, they'll wonder what I am doing here with you,"

Tamika smiled as the young Quincy walked out of the room before she picked up a book and started to read it till she grew tired. She placed the book up and changed into her nightgown. She turned off the light and fell into a deep sleep; unaware of the shadowed form crouched on the tree branch outside of her room before the form vanished.

**TBC . . . **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: _I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story._

**Chapter Three. **

Uryû went into the living room where the others were eating at. They looked at him with a curious look. "What?"

"So what did she say or more like do?" asked Ichigo.

"Oh please! We talked that's all." Uryû blushed, as he pushed his glasses against his eyes.

"About what?" Orihime asked.

"Her parents mainly."

"Her folks?" Ichigo said shocked.

"Yes, her folks. But she doesn't want me to discuss it with you. You will have to ask her about it, yourself." Uryû replied.

"Keeping secrets from us now?" Ichigo chided him.

"Just keeping a promise that's all." Uryû said, as he went to the empty spot and started to eat dinner.

"So tomorrow afternoon, we're going to have to bring Renji over and let him meet her so he's aware of her presence here." Ichigo stated.

"I think that would be a bad idea. She might be afraid that he'll take her back to the Soul Society because of her injury." Orihime replied.

"She saw him already and he didn't come after her?" Ichigo said.

"Well, we don't know if he knows she's here. Besides, when she wakes, the fun part will be telling her that Renji is staying at the Urahara shop as a freeloader and that he goes to the same school that we do and that he's posing as your brother," Chad whispered.

Ichigo smirked. "Well, we will leave it till before we reach school. That way she can't get out of not going to school."

"Smart, Ichigo," Orihime replied.

Couple times that night, they were awakened by a cry coming from Tamika's room. Orihime and Uryû were the ones who went to the room. But when Orihime came out and left the door partially opened, the others wondered why. She stated. "She couldn't sleep after that last one, Uryû is going to stay with her and he's staying on the couch that is within the room to keep her company."

"But that is awfully weird for him to stay within her room like that, Orihime." Ichigo replied.

"I know, I offered to stay in the room but Uryû suggested that he stayed in there and talk with her till she fell asleep," Orihime said, as she looked at the room to see Uryû covering Tamika up with a blanket and slip out of the room. "Is she asleep?"

"Yes and very soundly too. I doubt she'll wake till morning." Uryû said, as he looked at them.

Ichigo scratched his head. "It is strange that you are so comfortable with her, Uryû. I guess she took to your '_innocent_' looks,"

Uryû blushed as he pushed his glasses up against his face. "Well, I'm just being me. She lost her folks to the Hollows that I did with my grandfather, thanks to the Shinigami not coming to her folks' aid when they needed it." He slapped his head when he realized that he just told them what happened to her folks.

Ichigo's eyes went wide as the others gasped in surprise. They didn't know that Tamika was like Uryû with his grandfather. Ichigo asked. "Did she make mention of the division that came late?"

Uryû nodded. "The 6th division. And it was Byakuya who told her of her folks' demise too."

Orihime smiled. "That is so kind of Byakuya to do something like that. I mean telling her about her folks."

Ichigo was just about to speak when another voice spoke instead.

"He really didn't have to do that. I mean he could have sent his vice captain who aided him in the fight to help my folks." Tamika said, as she entered the room.

"Tamika, I'm sorry I didn't mean . . .," Uryû started to say.

Tamika held her hand up for silence. "It was just a slip of the tongue. I wondered how long it would have been kept silent as I figured your friends would pester you about it. But I do not mind you talking about it. It helps me more than you know." Tamika went to the empty chair and sat down in it. "I ended up becoming friends with Byakuya. He allowed me to come to his home and talk if I needed it to where he allowed me to reside there if I chose to leave my family home, which I didn't. I still have my parents' home in Soul Society."

"Mister cold hearted is actually warm hearted?" spoke Ichigo. He was shocked that Byakuya would do something like that.

"Well, he still is cold and rarely speaks unless he has something to say, Ichigo. He expresses himself through his eyes more than anything else. He is one of the more powerful Shinigami out there," Tamika replied, as she looked at him. She glanced at the clock to see it was only one am. "Shouldn't you all be in bed, it is a school night?"

"You are right; we should head for our respective homes since you are better." Ichigo stated.

"I suggest staying here for the night and we will get up early to get you all to your homes so you can gather your school books. I need to register myself in the school tomorrow. I'm not going back to Soul Society for a few weeks." Tamika said, as she looked at the others.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay in your home, Tamika." Orihime replied, as she bowed to her.

Tamika smiled before she went back to her room and climbed into bed and fell asleep.

**TBC . . .**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: _I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. Thanks to all who reviewed._

**Chapter Four.**

Ichigo and Tamika showed up at the Karakura High School, just as the others joined them. Orihime poked Ichigo in the back. He glared at her and then sighed. "Tamika, there is something you need to know about Renji."

"That he's here in the living world? I know I saw him." Tamika stated.

"It's not just that, he's posing as a student here. More or less as my half brother." Ichigo replied.

"Oh, okay." Tamika stated, not at all shocked or stunned about it. "I better get myself registered before I end up seeing him." She walked towards the building and headed for the school office.

A few minutes later, Renji walked up and leaned his arm against Ichigo's shoulder. "She arrived at school?"

"Yeah and didn't seem at all freaked out about you being here posing as my half brother." Ichigo said, as he shoved Renji's arm off of his shoulder. "We better get to class before the tardy bell rings."

They headed for their classes and was seated when Tamika entered the classroom and handed the teacher a note. The teacher looked for an empty chair and pointed to the back of the room. Tamika thanked her and went past Ichigo and Renji before taking her seat and looking at the front of the room.

Renji turned around in his seat and looked at her before the teacher yelled at him to face front, which he did with a frown. Tamika smirked as she hid her face from view with her hands. The teacher looked at the class and realized that she was without a text book for the time being. She looked at Ichigo, and spoke, "Ichigo, would you share your book with Tamika till I am able to get her a book from the storage room?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ichigo said, as he moved to the other empty seat next to Tamika and opened his text book to the page that they were about to start on. He held out his hand and spoke, "Hi, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki,"

"I'm Tamika," as she shook it before looking up at the teacher who asked the teacher's aide to go to the supply room to get the proper books for the new student to have for the year.

Ichigo helped Tamika with the morning school work but found that she was very wise in the ways of the living world and the school itself. He asked her to have lunch with him and his friends. Tamika nodded as they finished with that morning's classes and headed for the lockers as the teacher assigned Ichigo to help Tamika around the school for the day.

Lunch time came around as Ichigo took Tamika to where his friends were located at. He introduced her to them as they knew to act like they just met just then. Tamika played the new student perfectly.

Orihime smiled as she spoke since there was other students around. "So Tamika, what do you think of our school compared to the one you were at previously?"

"Not as strict as my old one. I do like this school better. But I do miss my friends that I had in my previous school." Tamika stated, as she opened her backpack and pulled out her bento box and revealed sushi and various other items. They watched as she only pulled out one box and not more. She noticed it and whispered, "I know it would look very strange if I had more than one box. I do know the ways of the living world, even if some of my fellow Shinigami don't."

Ichigo looked behind his shoulder to see Renji heading their way. "Tamika, I want to introduce you to my half brother Renji Kuorsaki. He just arrived here a few weeks ago. Renji, this is Tamika, she just arrived here from what school did you say you came from, Tamika?"

Tamika stated the school's name which got a rise of an eyebrow from Renji, before he bowed and welcomed her to the school and then promptly looked into her bento box and eyed some of her food.

She promptly closed it. "You probably have your own food to eat, Renji. I do not wish to get sent to the office for breaking your nose."

The others promptly broke out into giggles over what she said as Renji covered his nose and backed away from her.

Ichigo smirked towards Renji. "She does have a point, brother. I hope you didn't eat it before lunch came around."

"I didn't eat it all. I had one piece!" Renji snapped, as he opened his box to reveal nothing within it.

Ichigo looked at it and started to laugh. "You did eat it all, Renji!"

Renji sat there looking shocked at the empty box. "Ichigo, can I have a bite of your lunch?"

"NO!" Ichigo snapped, grabbing his box and held it away from him.

Renji tried to get the others to give some of their lunch to him but it failed as he sat there watching them finish eating. Orihime looked at him and looked at the rest of the food that she had within her box. She was stuffed and the food was just going to sit there. She held her box out to Renji. "Renji, I have some left over. Do you want it?"

Renji looked up at her as she offered her box to him. "Are you sure?"

Orihime nodded. "I'm full already and it is going to waste."

"Thank you, Orihime." Renji bowed to her as he took her box and finished off her three sushi pieces and then, returned her box to her.

Uryû looked at her and spoke, "Orihime, you are very kind to offer the rest of your meal to him."

"Well, I was full and had three pieces leftover. He didn't have anything to eat so it was only fair since he's watching us eat and drooling over what he couldn't have," Orihime replied, as she placed her box back in her backpack.

Soon, they headed back to their classes and behaved like students till the end of the day, when they headed for the clinic as Ichigo's dad wanted to see Tamika and get her checked out again to make sure that she's doing okay.

"Dad, I'm home. I brought Tamika and my friends here." Ichigo said, as he held the door open for Tamika.

Isshin got a roundhouse kick from Tamika as he came charging at Ichigo, but didn't see Tamika coming into the room first.

"You might want to see who is coming into the room first, Isshin. Before you try that stunt. Be thankful I held my kicks to a region that can handle such kicks." Tamika stated, as she stood up from her fighting stance.

"Ow," moaned Isshin, as he slowly stood up.

Ichigo smirked as he looked at his father. "Well, that'll teach him to check before he tries that again."

Tamika nodded as she looked at Issihin. "Sorry for the strikes. You kind of deserved it."

"Uh yeah, but I always do it to Ichigo to keep him on his toes. Don't want him to get too grounded." Isshin stated, as he scratched the back of his head.

"You got yourself a good son who won't ground himself, he's too awake for it." Tamika replied.

Isshin smiled. "True, so how are you feeling? No lightedness?"

"None of the problems I had on Saturday morning when I first woke up. I actually went to school today." Tamika replied.

Isshin gave her a quick check right in their living room before he told her that she was okay. But he did ask her about any nightmares that she may have.

"I got them, they mainly deal with the accident. I know it will take time before they are fully gone." Tamika said, as she picked up her book bag that was by her feet. "I better go to Ichigo's room and start on my homework with him. He told me that he'll help me with it."

Orihime was at the door before they could say anything. "Come on, we're already studying, Tamika."

Tamika entered the room and sat on the floor near the closet. "Oh, Ichigo, could I use your outlet for my cell phone? I need to make sure that I have the batteries recharged."

"Oh sure. It's right over there." Ichigo pointed to the outlet next to the lamp.

Tamika plugged her cell phone cable into the wall and set it nearby as she pulled out of her bag her homework. "I have to remember not to forget it here."

"Remember when Renji forgot to recharge his cell phone battery?" Uryû replied.

The others started to laugh at the memory.

"He forgot to charge up his battery?" asked Tamika.

"Yes and he missed out in a tough battle." Ichigo said, between laughs.

"Well, that won't happen with mine. I always charge it when it gets low." Tamika stated, as she started to work on her homework.

Ichigo looked over at her work to find that it was mostly finished. "When did you get it finished, Tamika?"

"Study hall. I'm not that dumb like some of my other counterparts when it comes to homework," she stated, glancing over at the person who was standing at the doorway.

Ichigo looked up to see Renji standing there with his book bag over his shoulder. "Have a seat, Renji. We're working on our homework at the moment."

"I'm not dumb, Tamika." Renji snapped, glaring at her.

"Idiot," she whispered, only Orihime heard it as she looked at her. She looked at him. "Then, why did I see you looking at your books instead of doing your homework?"

"I was doing my homework! I have it almost done. Have a look." Renji said, as he pulled out his work and handed it to her.

She looked over it and found it almost done. She handed it back. "Maybe I was wrong about you."

"Back in the academy, I did do my studies." Renji stated, as he got onto the floor and started to do the rest of his homework.

"Even if some of the spells that you did blew up in your face," Tamika smiled towards him. All Renji could do was glare.

"So you two met in the academy?" asked Ichigo.

"Actually, he is out of the academy by a good forty years to me, Ichigo. But the explosion that he did was retold by our instructor as in the worst showing that was ever done by a student." Chuckled Tamika.

"Why I?" growled Renji, looking for his sword or something to throw at her.

"It's true, Renji. You were not that good at the cannon spell. I did worst at that spell myself. I ended up blowing up the building behind us." Tamika chuckled.

Renji stopped looking as he stared at her. "You blew up the building?"

"Yeah, I stumbled while making the spell and ended up flinging the ball backwards and blew it up. I got in so much trouble for that. I feared I wouldn't be looked at with respect anymore." Tamika said, as she lowered her head.

They looked shocked at her. Why would she not be looked at with respect? Orihime looked at her and asked the question.

"I was one of the top students in the class but when it came time to do the spells, I blew it. I'm not good at any of the demon art spells. They just blow up in my face. Even with the help of one of the other top students, it didn't work. I also nearly blew up one of the teachers when they found out that I was being tutored with the spell." Tamika said, with a grin.

Renji roared with laughter. "Which teacher was it?"

"It wasn't a teacher but one of the captains who came by to visit. They dropped by the training arena and was hit by my errant blast. But he was not hurt at all by it. His zanpakutô, his soul slayer blocked the blast." Tamika stated.

Sado asked. "Who was it?"

"The 3rd division Captain Gin Ichimaru. He laughed at the failed blast but he said I had guts to try to master it." Tamika replied. "I was so shocked by what I did I barely registered what happened to me after that."

"What happened?" asked Ichigo.

"I do not even recall what happened, but the others talked about how I got a lesson from him as in how to do it correctly before he walked off smiling like he always did." Tamika said.

"Wow, he did that. Usually, he would let that be dealt with by the instructors." Renji replied.

"Yeah, but I never did that spell again. I got too scared to even try it after what I did. The intructors didn't blame me. But they made me do another spell twice to cover that spell." Tamika said, as she turned her attention back to her homework as she closed her books and started to stuff them back in her book bag when her head shot up as did Renji and Ichigo's. "That has to be a Hollow!"

"But where?" Ichigo asked.

Tamika and Renji both grabbed their cell phones and looked at the screen. They both spoke at the same time. "The park."

Ichigo grabbed his coin which gave him the ability to shift to Shinigami form at any time, and slid open the window. "I'm going a head!" And he was out of the window before Renji or Tamika could shift out of their gigais.

"Damn that asshole! He is going to get over his head one of these days!" Renji snarled, as he leapt out of the window and followed the speeding subsitute Shinigami with Tamika right behind him.

"I agree with you there, Renji. But enough talk, we need to move faster!" yelled Tamika, as they sped up their pace to get to the park to see Ichigo already fighting several Hollows.

Renji and Tamika got their swords out and charged into battle. It didn't take long before they were back to back and Tamika on her knee with her sword out in front ready to slice a Hollow down.

Renji yelled out, "Time for Bankai, Ichigo. There are too many."

Ichigo nodded as he called for his sword's Bankai as Renji did the same. Tamika's voice rang out her sword's Bankai as the three Shinigami's Bankai's went to work on the Hollows.

It took them about ten minutes to finish them all off, just as the others showed up to give them a little help in blasting the last ones back to hell.

Tamika noticed that Sado was carrying their two faux bodies. After she merged with her body, she looked at the others. "Anyone hungry? That fight made me hungry."

Renji's head went up at the thought of having food. "Yeah, I'm famished. I could use three Big sandwiches about now."

Tamika smiled as she looked at him. "If you eat that many, you get yourself sick, Renji. Eat two and that'll be fine."

They headed to the local hamburger shop where they all got something to eat. Tamika got herself two cheeseburgers, large french fries and a large chocolate milk shake. Renji looked at the menu the longest before he chose the same thing that Tamika had ordered. Ichigo and the others ordered their normal hamburgers, french fries and sodas. They headed to a table in the far side of the fast food place and munched on their food before they left carrying their sodas and shakes out with them.

Tamika looked at Renji. "So where do you stay at, Renji?"

"I stay at the Urahara Shôten. I stay in one of the rooms in the back." Renji replied. "But with the shop damaged, I stay in the underground training arena."

"Why don't you stay at my place? I got plenty of rooms. As long as you behave like a proper guest within my home, I'll let you stay there." Tamika said, as she looked at him.

"You mean it?" asked Renji. He didn't really mind sleeping in the underground training arena but if it meant sleeping on a bed he'll take it.

"Sure, you would do the same for me if the situation was switched around." Tamika stated, as she looked at the red haired Shinigami.

He smiled as he spoke, "I best gather my belongings from the back of the store if I am moving into your home, which I won't stay for long as soon as the shop is completely finished being rebuild, I'll move back in."

They walked towards the Urahara Shôten and saw that Tessai was out front pounding in nails to the front part of the store. They were slightly amazed how fast the rebuilding of the store was coming alone.

"Hi Tessai, how is it coming along?" asked Ichigo, looking at the tall man.

"We're working as fast as possible." Tessai replied.

Renji looked at the rebuilt store. "I'll return after I get my things from my room to Tamika's house and help rebuild."

"I'll help too." Tamika stated. The others piped up and agreed to help out.

"Oh thank you, the help is most appreciated." Tessai said bowing to them.

**TBC . . . **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note**: _Still don't own the characters and not making money off of this.  
Thank you to those people who have reviewed this story so far.  
The reason why this story is marked M, is because there will be a slightly nude scene showing up in another chapter or two.  
Sorry for the long time in updating this story. I ended up getting into writer's block with this story and will be working on more of this story in the near future. I hope you enjoy the rest._

**Chapter Five.**

After they placed Renji's things at Tamika's house, they returned to the shop and helped with the rebuilding of the shop.

It was couple of hours later, that Tessai told them to go on home. But they remained there. Renji was itching for a duel even a practice one. He was agonizing Ichigo for a fight by being right in his face.

Before Ichigo could even say anything, Tamika lunged at Renji and slammed her fist into his face knocking him back and away from Ichigo. "Lets take this downstairs, Renji. It is about time you learn that I don't tolerate people going into someone else's space."

"Ichigo always allows me in his space," Renji replied.

"I don't like it, Renji. I told you to get out of my space before," Ichigo said, with a frown on his face.

"You have been in his face almost everytime I see you around him. You need to learn his space. Do I hang in your personal space, Renji?" asked Tamika, as she looked at him right in the face not even staying out of his arm reach.

Renji started to back away from her till the wall of the store blocked him from going anywhere and she right in his face. "You are doing so now, Tam."

"Hold your hands out and push me till your elbows are straight, Renji," Tam said. He did what she asked. "Now that is your space right around you. I can't go into it without breaking into your circle of private space. Not without your permission Renji, respect his space by staying at least an arm length away or at least the length of his sword."

Renji thought about what she said. "Was I really invading your space, Ichigo?"

"Well, yeah. I really didn't like it very much." Ichigo replied, as he climbed down the stairs to the underground training arena.

The others followed them down. They wondered what Renji was going to do with the strike that Tamika did to him earlier.

"Tamika, about the strike you did earlier . . . " Renji started to say.

"I know what you are thinking, practice fight? Don't even think about pulling your sword's teeth out because I won't be calling upon my sword." Tamika smirked towards him as she pushed herself out of her faux form and into her real form. She withdrew her sword and got into a fight position and then right before he shifted into his real form, she smirked, "Catch me if you can!" And dashed off with her sword in hand.

Renji looked at her surprised. He looked at the others. "Stay back, it is going to get dirty!" And he was off with his own sword in hand.

Orihime looked at Ichigo. "What's happening, Ichigo?"

"I think they are playing a cat and mouse game with each other, Orihime. I'm not even sure." Ichigo said, as they heard the sounds of metal hitting metal.

They heard couple of screams and yelps in pain as more sounds of metal was heard. But after twenty minutes, the sounds stopped. Ichigo and the others raced towards the area that they last heard the cries to stop in their tracks as there on the ground was both Shinigami. Renji was underneath Tamika with her bloodied sword at his throat and his bloodied sword aimed at her stomach. But what made them really stop and look was the fact that they were in a tight liplock with each other their free hand roaming over their bodies.

Ichigo's face was that of horror. Even the thought of seeing a woman naked made him red in the face but seeing Tamika in a starting phase of being kissed was enough for him to yell out his disgust which shocked both kissers into pulling away from each other.

"Uhm, we'll finish that later, Renji. I need to clean the blood off of my sword." Tamika said, as she pulled away from him and took her sword to the spring where she washed it clean before sheathing it in its scabbard.

Renji got up onto his elbow and watched as she moved away from him. He glanced over to Ichigo with a scowl on his face. "Why did you have to interrupt that, Ichigo? It was just getting hot."

"YOU TWO WERE KISSING! NOT FIGHTING!" yelled Ichigo, glaring at the male red haired Shinigami.

"Yeah, so?" He replied, not seeing the issue.

"You two were supposed to be fighting not trying to eat each other's faces."

"Eat each other's faces? What do you mean by that, Ichigo?" Renji asked, as he checked over his many cuts on his body.

Orihime spoke, "Ichigo means you were kissing quite passionately, Renji."

"Oh, we usually do that when we find ourselves . . .," Renji started to say.

"When you two were about to make out on the practice field!" Ichigo snapped, before he stalked off.

Orihime and Sado went after him, leaving Uryū behind. Renji looked at him and asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Well, you and Tamika were going to get intimate on the practice field, Renji." Uryū said, pushing his glasses up on his face.

Renji laughed rather nervously. "We mate on the practice field? Nah, we usually just kiss on the field that's our way of making peace with each other. We never go that far with each other. We're friends that's all."

"Well, someone better tell that to Ichigo as he thinks you two have the hots for each other," Uryū replied.

Renji smiled as he stood up and sheathed his sword. '_He's right. I do have the hots as Ichigo says about Tamika_.'

It was a few minutes after they climbed up the stairs when Renji emerged from the tunnel. He found Tessai standing there. "Did Ichigo return home?"

"Yes, and he seemed a bit upset. What happened down there? I heard swords," Tessai asked.

Renji scratched the back of his head below his ponytail. "Tamika and I were practicing and well, we ended up kissing when Ichigo and the others found us and I am guessing that got him a bit upset."

Tessai nodded in understanding before he turned away from the red head. "Will we be seeing you tomorrow after school?"

"Yes, I'll be back to help with the rebuilding. It won't be too long right?" asked Renji, looking at him.

"Not too long now, maybe less then a week," Tessai stated, before the young man nodded and walked down the street.

Renji reached Tamika's home and entered the house. "Tamika, it's me, Renji. I'm back," as he removed his shoes from his feet. He noticed her shoes were there so he knew she was there.

"I'm in the kitchen, Renji." Tamika yelled from the kitchen. She watched as the red head walked into the kitchen. He glanced at the food that she was making. "About what happened in the underground?"

"Didn't you feel the spark that I felt down there, Tamika?" asked Renji.

"The spark of lust or the spark of shock?" Tamika asked.

"I think it was more a spark of love, myself." Renji stated. "I never had any female really get me on my back that fast before and with such force. I liked that."

"Yeah right," Tamika said, as she poured the soup into the bowls and handed one to him and started to sip the soup.

"I'm serious here, Tamika. That kiss was real like the feelings I have for you." Renji replied, as he set his bowl down and took hers out of her hand. Before she could complain, his lips were on hers as he pulled her to his body.

Tamika felt his lips on hers, white lightning flashed through her body as his hands wandered over her back. She felt his hands start to pull off her shirt. She refused to let her shirt be raised over her arms. She struggled to be free from his grasp.

Renji pulled off of her lips as he kissed her chin and started to kiss her neck.

"No, Renji, no!" Tamika continued to struggle. She finally managed to get a hand free and quickly used it to slap his face hard.

He felt the sting of the slap on his face and pulled away from her. He suddenly realized what he was doing. "Oh Kami! I'm sorry!" And he fled from the room and rushed into his own room.

Tamika stood there breathing hard. She was scared. Not cause of what nearly happened but of the feelings she got from the forced kiss and his wandering hands. It was her first time with a man as she really never took a mating partner or a mate for one. What should she do report this to his Captain or let it slide? She didn't know what to do.

**TBC . . . **


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note**: _Still don't own the characters and not making money off of this.  
Thank you to those people who have reviewed this story so far.  
There will be a slightly nude scene showing up in the next chapter.  
Sorry for the long time in updating this story. I ended up getting into writer's block with this story and will be working on more of this story in the near future. I hope you enjoy the rest._

**Chapter Six.**

The chime rang off. She hurried to the door and answered it to her shock. Standing there was Byakuya and Kisuke behind him. "Kuchiki-san, Urahara-san. I . . . I . . ."

"Can we come in?" Byakuya whispered softly.

"Oh, yes. I'm . . . sorry." Tamika said, as she stepped aside allowing the two men to walk into her home.

Kisuke noticed her jitterness, as he popped out his fan to fan his face. "Did we come at a bad time?"

"No, yes, no. I'm sorry." She glanced about like she was scared or worried about something.

"Did something happen to you, Tamika?" asked Byakuya, softly. He noticed the jittery nature too and he knew her long enough to know that was not normal for her. He made her look at him.

"I . . . I. Oh please don't punish him for it. I already slapped his face." Tamika finally said.

"What happened?" Kisuke asked, the sound of his fan closing sharply.

"It's Renji. He . . . he . . . kissed me."

Byakuya slightly smiled at that. "There's more right?"

"He tried to remove my shirt but I fought him off." Tamika stated.

"I will talk to him about this privately." Byakuya whispered softly. "Where is his room?"

Tamika told him where it was and went to the chair and sat down. Kisuke walked over to her and sat across from her. They heard Byakuya knocking on Renji's door and hearing his shocked gasp seeing his captain there and the sound of the door closing.

Kisuke sat down in one of the chairs looking at Tamika, his fan fanning his face once again.

"Would you like some miso soup, Kisuke-san? I made some fresh this evening?" Tamika asked, as she looked at him.

"Thank you but no. I'm not hungry." He whispered.

"I wonder what they are talking about," Tamika said, as she tilted her head towards Renji's room.

Kisuke remained silent as the only noise in the room was the sound of his fan.

Inside Renji's room, Byakuya looked at Renji sternly. "Renji, did you try to remove her shirt?"

"I did but when I realized after I got slapped in the face, I apologized to her and fled from the room. I didn't want to stay within the room knowing what I was nearly about to do to her. You know me, Byakuya, I wouldn't . . . I couldn't force myself on someone. My pride would not let me do that. I respect women too much to do something so crass."

"Maybe you should return to Soul Society with me, if human feelings are getting in the way?" Byakuya whispered.

"I couldn't leave Ichigo behind to fight the Hollows himself. He needs the help of another Shinigami," Renji said. "I will return to the Urahara shop in the morning so I won't be tempted to do what I did this evening. I was warned by Kisuke that I would have human feelings while in these faux forms."

"And what feeling did you have?"

"Lust. I was lusting after Tamika and nearly took her. I don't think she will let me remain here for much longer."

"I will see if she'll let me remain here for the night." Byakuya spoke softly. He turned towards the door. "I expect you to remain in this room till it is time to go to the human school, Renji. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," Renji stated as he watched as Byakuya walked out of his room and closed the door behind him. He was thankful that he didn't pull out his sword and do the 10 thousand cherry blossom attack on him. He wouldn't have minded if he did it anyways.

"Tamika, is there a room I could sleep in tonight?" Byakuya asked, as he entered the room once more.

"Yes, there's a room next to Renji's that is free." Tamika stated. "Why?"

"It is late and I don't feel like traveling back to Soul Society at this time." Byakuya replied. He turned on his heel. He glanced back his gray eyes locking onto her gaze. "Oh, I have ordered Renji to remain in his room till he needs to go to school. He shall not bother you at all tonight."

"Thank you, Byakuya-san." Tamika said, as she smiled at the tall Captain's back as he went back down the hallway and into the spare room.

Kisuke spoke softly. "Well, I must be off. Nice to see you again, Tamika."

"The same," Tamika replied as she watched as the former Shinigami walk away from her home before she closed the door and headed for her room to get into bed. But it was a restless sleep – one filled with dreams of what could have happened if she let it happen with Renji and herself in the kitchen.

She woke with a cry escaping her lips. She bolted upright in bed looking over her room searching for one she knew was not there, it was about two minutes before she heard the nearing sounds of footsteps and then the door knocked and was slid open to reveal Byakuya standing there with a slight worry on his face. "I'm sorry to awaken you, Byakuya. A nightmare."

Byakuya's gray eyes looked over her before the slight nod of the head and the door closed behind him. He returned to his room seeing Renji standing at the door leading to his own room. "She had a nightmare, Renji. Now return to bed. All is well."  
"Thank you, Byakuya, for checking on her for me." Renji said, as he looked at his captain. "I would but your orders . . . I could not disobey."

Byakuya only smiled as he went into his room once again and laid down. His mind went to the dream that Tamika had, was it really a nightmare or was she reliving the attempted rape? He knew Renji would not force a woman but he didn't know what would happen if Renji was filled with lust for someone, would he push his pride aside and force someone to couple with him. He shook his head as he closed his eyes just glad that Renji regained his senses and stopped himself.

The next morning, Tamika was in the kitchen making scrambled eggs for Byakuya in the style that he liked them - spicy. Renji walked into the kitchen greeting his captain and then Tamika, apologizing once again for what happened the previous night. Tamika just waved it off as she asked him what type of eggs did he want as she plated the eggs and handed them to Byakuya.

"Uh, scrambled is fine by me." Renji said, scratching the back of his head. "Why are you making me breakfast, even after what I tried to do last night?"

"Well, you apologized for what you tried to do and left the room. I accepted your apology." Tamika said, as she cracked couple of eggs in a bowl and started to scramble them before she lightly salted the eggs and poured the mix into the hot pan and started to work on it.

After couple of minutes, the eggs were finished. She plated them up and handed it to him. She then, started to work on her own breakfast before she started to clean up the kitchen.

Byakuya looked at the clock and spoke gently. "Don't you two need to get to the human school now?"

Tamika turned to the clock and rushed for the fridge. She hurriedly opened it and pulled out two packs. Tossed one to Renji. "That's your lunch, Renji! We need to move now!"

Tamika rushed for the door as she grabbed her backpack and pulled on her shoes. She glanced over to Byakuya.

"Don't worry, I have things to do in Soul Society. Thank you for breakfast, Tamika." He spoke softly as she smiled at him before rushing out the door.

**TBC . . . **


	7. Chapter 7

**Authors' Note**: _Thank you to all who have reviewed. I appreciate each and every review by all the readers very much. It warms the heart of this writer._

_I'm sorry it took me so long in finishing loading this chapter here. It has been hard with Writers' Block deciding to hit me so often with this story._

_I hope you enjoy this chapter._

_Please enjoy!  
_

**Chapter Seven.**

Renji and Tamika raced down the street running as fast as their faux bodies could run. Renji glanced over at Tamika and smirked. "If we weren't in these faux forms, we would be there by now."

"I know, but keep running; we might get there before the tardy bell rings, Renji!" Tamika snapped.

They reached their class room just as the tardy bell rang out. The teacher smiled at them as they both headed to their chairs. They just raised their hands when their names were called out as they were still catching their breaths.

At lunch, Ichigo asked Renji why he was late coming into class as the others watched fearing the older male would get riled up by the questions.

"I happened to get there right as the tardy bell rang, Ichigo. I ran all the way here as did Tamika." Renji replied, as he opened his box and started to eat his lunch that Tamika made for him the previous night. He had looked at her as he ate; she had given him a much larger portion of food then what Tessai did before. He wondered why. He knew he needed to ask her about it but he would wait till after school to do so.

Orihime turned to look at Tamika and whispered. "Tamika, do you like Renji?"

Tamika spat out her juice that she had just took a sip of as she looked over at her. "Wha . . . what do you mean?"

"Well, you invited him to stay in your home, you came racing into the class room together and you are both you know what," she said as she looked at her and then glanced over towards where Ichigo and Renji were at.

"He and I are not the same rank, we are of different ranks. He's second in command of the 6th division; I'm not a member of any division. I accept orders from most of the division's captains but for the 12th and the 9th divisions." Tamika stated.

"You didn't answer the question – Do you like him?" Orihime asked. Tamika immediately lowered her head and a red tint came to her cheeks. Orihime squealed as she hugged her. "I knew it! You do!"

Ichigo and Renji turned to look at the squealing girl and Tamika who was like trying to push the girl off, they both laughed as they turned back to their conversation. Ichigo smirked as he looked at him. "So do you like Tamika?"

Renji had just taken a drink from his juice box when he heard that. He coughed as he glared at him. "Like Tamika?"

"Yeah, do you like her enough to kiss her last night in the practice field?" Ichigo knew he got the older male shocked and that was a good sign as he would either admit it or deny it.

"Well, yes . . . I mean no . . . oh I mean I do . . .," Renji started to say.

"Which means you do like her enough to kiss her." Ichigo smirked. "I dare you to kiss her again and this time do it right here at school."

"Ichigo, I can't kiss her. I'll get my face slapped again and who knows what Byukuya would do to me," Renji stated. His face showing the horror of getting on Byukuya's bad side.

"Come on, I dare you to kiss her right in front of everyone here. I dare you to, Renji!" Ichigo smirked, knowing that he would either do it or stalk off, if he pressed a little more. He kept it up as the older man started to really glare at him.

Renji listened to Ichigo's words as he glanced over at Tamika. 'Would she allow him to kiss her and not get slapped in the face?' He heard Ichigo's voice daring him to go kiss her. His face going red with embarressment. "Ichigo, it isn't really easy to go kiss a girl on a dare. It's stupid."

"No it's not. Go on, kiss her. I dare you," Ichigo replied, finally giving up and pushing the older male in the direction of the girls.

Renji turned to look at Ichigo who was not even looking at him anymore, his red eyes turned towards the girls to see them all laughing at him. Renji's growl was heard by Ichigo as he turned to look at him. He was already standing up. "Alright," he growled as he stalked off towards the girls.

The girls heard Ichigo's dare on Renji and started to laugh hard. Tamika couldn't help but to smile as well.

Renji approached the group of girls and as he reached for Tamika's arms to get her to be standing, he spoke, "He dared me," and he kissed her full on her lips. He held her to his body for a good minute before pulling away from her and stalked away from them and Ichigo who was smiling at him as he was walking towards the older male.

Orihime looked at Ichigo. "Why did you dare him to kiss Tamika, Ichigo?"

"He looked like he wanted to kiss her again and was afraid to do so. So I made him kiss her. Hey, Tamika . . . how was . . .it? Tamika, hey Tamika?" Ichigo turned to look at her to see her staring off into space while she was on her knees. Ichigo went to her side and shook her. "Tamika, you okay?"

SLAP! Ichigo's hand covered his face as he looked shocked at her.

"How dare you dare him to kiss me!" Tamika said, as she got up onto her feet and stalked away from him.

"Ichigo did you dare Renji to kiss her?" asked Orihime.

"Yeah, I figured he wouldn't." Ichigo replied.

"But he did and you got the slap for it," Uryû said, as he pushed his glasses up against his face.

"Yeah, I didn't know she would slap me and not him." Ichigo replied, as he removed his hand from his cheek. His voice went low. "They both liked it."

"Well, you were the one egging him to do it," Orihime stated, before she grabbed Tamika's book bag and her own and raced off to find the older woman. Orihime found the older woman standing by the fence. "Tamika, you okay?"

Tamika glanced behind her and saw her standing there alone. "Ichigo dared Renji to kiss me."

"I know I heard and saw. So what so wrong with being kissed by him. He is very attractive," Orihime said.

Tamika glared at her. "That may be but last night he kissed me in my kitchen and tried to remove my shirt from my person!"

Orihime looked shocked at that admission. "He tried . . . to rape you?"

"He tried but I slapped him and got him to realize what he was doing before he went any further." Tamika stated, as she turned to look at the young woman.

"Did he return to the Urahara Shôten last night?"

"No, he stayed at my place but stayed within his room by orders of his captain."

"You mean Byakuya was there!"

Tamika nodded. "He came a few moments after it happened. I did tell him and Kisuke what almost happened and Byakuya went to talk to him. After that, he asked to stay within my home for the night. Kisuke went home soon after."

"So you had Byakuya and Renji in your home last night?"

"Yes,"

"Any nightmares?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But it was not of the accident, those nightmares are fading but this one dealt with what could have happened if he didn't respond to my slap when he did,"

"Oh Tamika, I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Don't worry about it. It was dealt with. Now to deal with Ichigo and his little dare,"

"I think Renji has to deal with that himself since it was him who was dared. He needs to have payback," Orihime stated.

"And payback is a bitch too." Tamika replied. She glanced over at the girl and whispered, "Orihime, do you like Ichigo?"

"Well, yes, I do like him, but I like Ishida better." She said, scratching the back of her head.

Tamika smiled as she put the information away in her mind. It would be good information for Renji to plot his revenge dare on Ichigo. Hopefully, he would be better behaved in the house when she informs him of the feelings that Orihime has for Ichigo. But she wondered if he has any for the girl. She would have to watch him to see if he does. "I better get going, the lunch bell will be ringing soon."

"Oh right! I totally forgot that school was still in session!" Orihime stated, as they hurried back to class just as the lunch bell sounded off ending lunch and the time to return to class.

Tamika sat in her seat noticing that Renji was there but glaring towards Ichigo, who turned around to look at him with a smirk on his face before he turned back to look at the teacher. Renji wanted to smack him to get rid of that smirk on his face.

Tamika grabbed his arm. "Don't. I have a plan to get back at him."

Renji nodded as he glanced over to look at her. 'Did she just touch my arm? Maybe she doesn't hate me for what happened at lunch?'

The classes went slow for them both but Tamika was watching Ichigo as he glanced over towards Orihime and then to his books. She kept her head lowered unless she was listening to what the teacher was saying.

School was now over for the day as the students headed home for the night. Tamika walked home as she noticed that Renji was heading towards the Urahara Shôten when she walked past it. "Renji, a word with you."

"Uh sure," he said as he walked over towards her.

"Come walk with me, I have something to tell you." Tamika stated, as she started to walk away from the shop towards her home.

He followed her into her home as she removed her shoes from her feet. He was removing his as well, when he asked, "So what did you want to tell me, Tamika?"

"I want to know what you are planning to dare Ichigo for payback for what he did to you earlier?" As she looked at him.

"I am not really sure but I want it to be very embarrassing to him. I don't really know which would cause him the most embarrassment," Renji stated as he walked towards the couch to sit on.

"Orihime likes him. You could have him do something like dare him to kiss her in front of the PE class and then do something else that would cause him embarrassment," Tamika said.

"That is a good idea, but I was thinking of having him strip naked and streak across the school grounds slow enough for everyone to see him naked," Renji's grin was predatory as he spoke.

Tamika nodded. "That would be an embarrassment to him. I think he will do it but very reluctantly."

"I have to agree but I think he will do it here or do it in Soul Society? That alone will make him really embarrassed. So I think he will do it here," Renji stated.

"From what I heard from Yoruichi, he gets quite flustered and red in the cheeks when he sees naked women. We could dare him to enter the ladies shower room butt naked," Tamika said, chuckling.

Renji just howled with laughter. "Oh that would make him embarrassed!"

Tamika smirked. "He might never ever dare you to do anything again."

"That is true," Renji remarked, as he looked at her. He immediately looked at his hands. "I'm sorry for last night; I shouldn't have kissed you like that."

"Actually, I think it was both of our faults. I shouldn't have allowed you that long of a kiss in the practice fight. That led you on to think that I wanted you when in fact it was just our way of ending the fight. Unless there is unknown feelings that is not known to either of us." Tamika stated.

"Meaning what?" Renji whispered, fearing what she could say.

"Meaning one or both of us has feelings for each other." Tamika said, as she looked at him.

Renji bit his lower lip. He did have feelings for her but if he followed his heart and told her, she might reject him, but it might also be that she wanted him too. "Tamika, that kiss I gave you in the practice fight the other night was the type of kiss that I really want to place on your lips in front of everyone but couldn't because I was too fucking damn shy to admit my feelings for you."

He looked at her to see her jaw wide open and her eyes looking shocked at him. He waved his hand in front of her and asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

"N. . . n. . . no. It's. . . just." Tamika had to swallow couple times to get her voice back. "So shocking, Renji. I didn't know you felt the same way about me that I felt about you."

'Open mouth, insert foot. Waitaminute, did she just admit to me that she has feelings for me?' Renji looked at her strongly to see if she truly did meant it. He couldn't really tell. "Tamika, are you saying that you love me?"

Tamika nodded. "I couldn't say anything because you were with Rukia and I didn't want to get on her older brother's bad side knowing that I was going after the same guy that his sister was with."

Renji started to laugh. "Me and Rukia!" He continued to laugh hard. "Seriously, we are not together. We are best friends, besides she's in love with Ichigo."

"You mean he's with her?" asked Tamika. Renji nodded. "Wow, here I was worried that I would just get in the way between you and Rukia, since I have such feelings for you, Renji."

Renji's heart leapt at the words being spoken. "Then, maybe we should have that kiss that we both been wanting to give each other?"

Tamika smiled as she leaned towards him and just as her lips barely reached his. "Renji, I love you,"

Renji heard the words and pressed his lips against hers as their tongue fought for access to each other's mouths. Her hands went right to his hair and removed his band from his head freeing his red locks from it as it hung loose around his shoulders. Renji's hands wrapped around her head as his tongue fought for space within her mouth the need to caress the tongue of his girlfriend was strong before he pulled away and looked down at his own waist. Another part of his body was demanding attention and it was not happy as it stood upright in his pants. His face went red as he looked up at her. "I'm sorry, he's . . ."

It was now Tamika's turn to blush. "I never took a mate, Renji."

"Not once?"

She shook her head. "Never. Who would want to have relations with a Shinigami who has no divisions to back her up when she needs the help of her teammates? No one even looked at me as a female only a rogue Shinigami who called all divisions her own."

"But now you do have a division to call your own. I'll petition Byakuya to accept you into the 6th division." Renji said, as he started to kiss her neck.

"But I couldn't . . . ," Tamika started to say.

Renji placed his finger on her lips as he gazed into her eyes. "Yes and you will accept it. I will not have my girlfriend be in a different division than I."

"Renji, I couldn't do that. What will the others think?" She replied.

"Fuck'em, only what you think matters to me," He said, as he kissed his way to where her shirt went into a V shape. He looked at the fabric and scowled. It was blocking his way to her breasts which he so wanted to suckle and to fondle.

Tamika noticed the look he had in his eyes as she looked at her clothes she wore. "Renji . . . my room, now."

Renji looked at her and lifted her into his arms as he carried her towards her bedroom.

**TBC. . .**


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors' Note**: _Thank you to all who have reviewed. I appreciate each and every review by all the readers very much. It warms the heart of this writer._

_I'm sorry it took me so long in finishing loading this chapter here. It has been hard with Writers' Block deciding to hit me so often with this story._

_This is an edited version of this story. I am not going to put full blown sex scenes on this site since it is in the rules that NC-17 stories are not allowed. If anyone wishes to have the unedited version, please PM me and ask me for the link to this story's unedited chapter 8. I will send you to a site that is for 18 year olds and older, please don't ask if you are not of legal age to be on sites._

_Please enjoy!_

**Chapter Eight.**

Kisuke smiled as he knelt at the low table. The black cat Yoruichi sat next to him before standing up and slipping into one of the rooms to change into her human form and to get something on to cover her nakedness, even though Kisuke didn't mind having her naked.

Yoruichi emerged from the room and sat down in the spot next to Kisuke. "Do you think they will get together, Kisuke?"

"Do you mean Renji and Tamika?" Kisuke asked, as he poured her some tea.

"Yes, they have feelings for each other. If they follow their feelings tonight, they will make love for her first time, Kisuke." Yoruichi stated, as she lifted the cup of tea to her lips. He smiled ever so slightly. She looked at him. "You planned them to get together didn't you?"

"Of course, I didn't plan it. I knew of her feelings for him but I'm not sure about his till last night when Byakuya came to see his vice captain and took him to see Renji and we learned about his attempt at forcing Tamika." Kisuke stated calmly.

"Attempted? You mean he was stopped right?"

"Oh yes, he was stopped by her hand to his cheek and he hightailed it to his room just a few moments before we rang her chime." Kisuke said, as he looked at her. He reached for his cup of tea and took a sip from it.

Yoruichi smiled before she started to laugh. "You mean Renji who would never do such a thing to a woman tried to push himself on a woman, you must be fooling with me, Kisuke?"

"I'm not, he tried. I saw how scared or more like nervous she was when she saw us at the door."

Yoruichi sighed, "I guess he was horny for her that night and probably if they did their usual practice fight here, that they would end up kissing and that probably misled the poor guy to think she had feelings for him and wanted him."

"Possibly, but they did have their usual fight here and it did end up in a kiss. But they always kissed to end their practice fights to show that there was no hard feelings for the cuts that they inflict upon each other."

"But why the change now, Kisuke?" as she looked at him.

"Well, it's just like how we never revealed that we love each other. They are hiding their feelings for each other and who knows maybe tonight they will open up and reveal them to each other." Kisuke stated, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Are you plotting something, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked.

"No. What makes you think that?" Kisuke replied.

"I can tell by how you are sitting or that you are a horny manager." Yoruichi stated. Kisuke gasped in mock surprise. "Oh I think I was very much right about that part!" She exclaimed, as she removed his outer jacket and removed his shirt to reveal the pup tent in his pants. "Oh I am very much right!"

Needless to say, it took Kisuke a long time before he was able to get her to fall sound asleep in his bed before he walked out of the store and flash stepped to Tamika's residence to look within the window to see Renji and Tamika struggling to get out of their faux bodies. He smiled and flash stepped to Ichigo's window, saw Ichigo and Rukia sitting on his bed talking and then they started to kiss passionately before he flash stepped back to the shop and to Yoruichi's side.

"Where did you go off to?" she whispered.

"Just checking on the love birds. One set is working on getting intimate and the other pair was talking before they started to kiss." Kisuke stated, as he laid down next to her.

"So Tamika and Renji finally confessed their feelings for each other then?"

"Yes," Kisuke whispered, as he pulled the blanket over them and closed his eyes to sleep.

Yoruichi followed suit with a smile on her face.

Meanwhile, Renji was just about to lift her up into his arms when he placed her down.

"What's wrong?" Tamika asked.

"Our faux forms. They need to go." Renji breathed heavily.

"Oh right!" Tamika said, as she struggled to get out of her form.

It took them both about two minutes to fully get out of the faux forms and placed them on the couch, where they looked like they were sitting. Tamika laid her form's head on Renji's lap and took a blanket and covered her up with it leaving Renji's hand on her shoulder.

"Now we are done with that. Now, where were we?" She whispered.

"I think right here," Renji said, as he lifted her up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

**TBC. . .**


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors' Note**: _Thank you to all who have reviewed. I appreciate each and every review by all the readers very much. It warms the heart of this writer.  
I'm sorry it took me so long in finishing loading this chapter here. It has been hard with Writers' Block deciding to hit me so often with this story.  
This chapter also has a mild nudity scene with a full Monty so you are now forewarned if you do not like seeing male parts.  
Please enjoy!_

**Chapter Nine.**

Renji and Tamika were in the living room sitting on the couch kissing each other as their hands roamed each other's bodies. Renji quickly swept her into his arms and started to carry her off into her room when she reminded him about their fake bodies that they were in. He placed her down and started to pull himself out of his body as she did the same. Renji smirked as he gazed at her finally pulling herself free of the body she took.

"We need to make it look like we fell asleep here, Renji." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, just in case someone who doesn't know that they are fake bodies will think we died and will call for the police and ambulance." Tamika stated, as she lifted her body up and placed it on the couch.

Renji placed his next to Tamika's when Tamika shook her head and went to prop her fake head on Renji's lap and placed his hand on her shoulder as she placed a quilt on her body.

Tamika turned to Renji and said, "Now we can do what we were about to do in peace."

Renji smirked as he lifted her up into his arms again and claimed her lips before he carried her into her room and placed her on her bed. He started to remove her clothes even though she tried to do it herself. He shook his head and whispered. "Let me do it, Tamika."

Tamika relinquished her role in removing her clothes but she did start to undo his tie from around his waist pulling free his kimono before going after his ties to his hakuma. After the ties were undone, her hands pulled them very loose and started to push them off of his waist when his erection made an appearance surprising her.

Renji's chuckle was heard as he pulled away from kissing her neck to push his hakuma fully off and allowed her to view his entire naked body completely, including his erection that surprised Tamika.

"I was right," Tamika said. "Matsumoto will owe me the bet."

"What bet?" asked Renji.

"That you have tattoos on him." Tamika pointed towards his erection. "That had to hurt."

"Yes, it did . . . waitaminute! You mean you betted Matsumoto that I had tattoos on my penis?" asked Renji, shocked that she had bet that he had tattoos on his penis.

"Well, I said that you did, she said you didn't." Tamika stated, as she looked at him.

Renji looked at her in shock and slight embarrassment. He grabbed his hakuma and pulled it on as he turned on his heel and started to storm out of her room.

"Renji! I'm . . .," Tamika started to say.

"A liar. I was stupid to think that you really had feelings for me when all you wanted to see if my penis was covered in tattoos or not!" Renji snapped, before he stalked out of the room, not really wanting to hear what she was really going to say.

"Sorry." Tamika said in a whisper. She rolled over and grabbed her pillow and started to cry. She knew she ruined any chance to be with Renji cause of that comment she made. She should have said it silently as she would be right now having sex with one of the most handsome men in Seireitei. It was about an hour of her crying into the pillow when she made her decision. She wouldn't remain there in the living world any longer. She went to where her faux form was and got into it. Tamika ran to Ichigo's home and threw a rock at his window. She knew he must be asleep so she climbed up to his window and knocked on it hard enough to wake the boy and the woman he was sleeping next to. After he opened his window, she started to speak. "Ichigo . . . I'm . . .,"

"What is it? A Hollow, Tamika?" asked Ichigo, as Rukia sat up next to Ichigo barely covered with the blanket.

"I'm sorry to even disturb you two. I'm sorry." Tamika's cheeks turned bright red as she quickly jumped down to the ground and hurried off.

Ichigo watched as she vanished into the night. He asked, puzzled by her reaction. "What was that about?"

"I'm not sure, Ichigo. Maybe you should go and find out what's bothering her?" Rukia said.

"Are you sure?" Ichigo asked, as he reached for his coin.

"Yes, go find out what's bothering her so." Rukia said.

"Okay," He kissed her lips and shifted into his Shinigami form so he could flash step to where Tamika was at or was heading towards. He didn't know that she was heading towards Orihime's home or he would have went there first.

Tamika waited for the door to open, only to see the black haired shirtless man standing there. "Uryû, I'm sorry, I disturbed you two. I'll leave." She was quick to turn and started to walk away embarrassed to caught another one of her friends in a position of compromise.

Uryû quickly grabbed her arm and spoke, "No, something is wrong and you will come in and talk."

"I . . . I . . . don't . . . my time grows short here." Tamika stated, pulling her arm away from him. She glanced behind to look at him. "Please . . . tell the . . . others that I say fare thee well." Once, the words came from her lips, she turned away from him barely showing the hint of tears that was threatening to erupt and hurried down the stairs and out of his eyesight.

Orihime came to the doorway. "Was that Tamika, Uryû?"

"Yes and by how she looked, she looked like she was about to cry." He replied, looking at her.

"Maybe we should go after her and bring her back here so she can talk about what is making her so sad?" Orihime asked, as she grabbed her shirt and started to pull it on.

Uryû shook his head. "She's leaving for Soul Society, Orihime. She told me to tell the others fare thee well for her."

"Then, she must be heading for the Urahara Shôten. If we hurry, we might be able to say farewell to her?" Orihime stated. Uryû nodded and grabbed his shirt as they raced towards the shop.

Tamika awakened Kisuke by nudging him with her sword. "Wake up, Kisuke. I'm in need of your aid. Open the portal to Soul Society."

Kisuke opened one eye and looked at her. "And for what reason do you need to be there at this time of night?"

"Just do it, old man!" Tamika snapped. Her voice sounded angry but behind it was the choking sound of a swallowed sob. Kisuke nodded as he opened the portal for her as she entered the portal at a run.

"Tamika, don't go yet!" cried Orihime, as they raced into the store.

Kisuke frowned. "Sorry, she's gone already."

Ichigo appeared. "Has anyone seen Tamika? She's not at her place?"

"Ichigo, she left us." Orihime stated.

"She what?" asked Ichigo.

Kisuke spoke, "She asked me to open the portal and she left just a few moments ago. Now if you excuse me, I was about to get some sleep in." He slid his door to his bedroom closed and turned out the lights. "Oh be sure to close up after you leave."

They left Kisuke's, as they neared the corner. Ichigo asked, "Do you know why she left in such a hurry?"

Both of them shook their heads. Orihime said, "She came to say fare thee well. I guess she had to go suddenly."

"I guess so. Renji didn't say anything about what could have bothered her to the point of leaving without even saying goodbye to us." Ichigo replied, as he scratched the back of his head.

"She did look like she was about to cry when we last saw her," Uryû told him. "I tried to make her come inside and talk. But she refused."

They walked back to their respective homes. Ichigo went in via his window and took back his body. Rukia sat there reading a Japanese manga. "Well, did you catch her to find out what was wrong?"

"No, she went back to Soul Society." Ichigo said, softly.

"Didn't she give Kisuke a reason why she was leaving?"

"Not a word as to why she left. It felt like she was very sad about something," Ichigo replied, as he sat down next to her.

Rukia flipped open her cell phone and closed it. "I can't contact her."

"Let's wait till the weekend to go to Soul Society to pay her a visit." Ichigo said.

"Good idea. The others will want to come too," Rukia replied.

Ichigo smiled as he turned out the light.

Tamika landed on her hands and knees from where the portal tossed her, tears streaming down her cheeks. She knew she needed to get to her home before the sobs would break from her throat. She quickly flash stepped towards her home. Tamika stopped when she started to go past Byukuya's residence but he was awake by how his spirit presence was. She knew how to bring him out by making her presence rise to her all time high, she knew he knew that she would only do that when she was upset but at the last second, dashed for home, dropping it quickly as she ran. She got into her home and walked to the cherry tree that she had there when her chime rang. She knew it was Byakuya. Tamika watched as one of the servants went to the door and opened it to see Zaraki Kenpachi standing there, a few seconds later, Byakuya appeared.

Her servant invited them into the visitor's section as she went to get her mistress. "Mistress, Kenpachi-Taicho and Kuchiki-Taicho is here to see you?"

"I know, I will see them both," Tamika said, as she walked towards the two Captains'. She bowed to them both. "I'm sorry to have sent you on a wild chase."

Zaraki noticed the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. "What is wrong with your eyes, Tamika?"

"Oh it is nothing, Kenpachi. I just got some dust in them." Tamika said.

Kenpachi nodded and said his goodnights before he left her home, leaving Kuchiki behind.

Byakuya looked at her. "Something happened in the living world, did it not?"

"Yes and damaged any feeling that he may have had for me," Tamika stated, as she turned away from him.

"It dealt with Abarai-san? Didn't it?" He asked softly. Tamika nodded. Byakuya turned his gaze on the servant who was kneeling waiting orders. "Bring us tea to drink."

The girl bowed her head and hurried off to comply with his order.

"Now tell me what happened? Did he assault you again?"

"No, I did something stupid." Tamika said, keeping her head bowed.

"And what was it?" He asked in a soft whisper, making her look at him.

"I told him about the bet that I had with Matsumoto about him having tattoos on his . . . ," Tamika gestured towards Byakuya's groin as his eyes followed her hand and nodded in understanding. "And he got all angry that I didn't really want him just to see him naked. I do want him, Byakuya, I really do love him. I wouldn't have tried to take him to my bed if I didn't love him."

He listened to her talk about the bet she made with Matsumoto and how much she really loved him. "But why return here?"

"I couldn't face him knowing that I love him and yet all he will see is a woman who he thought lied to him about getting him into bed. It was not to find out if he had tattoos down there. I just should have kept my mouth shut." Tamika stated.

"And told her about winning the bet at a later date." Byakuya replied gently. "I don't see anything wrong with having a friendly bet between couple of friends, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone."

"It didn't until I spoke about it to him and I hurt his pride. Wounded him that all I wanted was to see him naked to find out if he had tattoos down there. I don't think I could ever regain his trust," Tamika said, softly.

Byakuya turned to the plate of tea and poured her some before taking some for himself. He noticed that she was not taking the cup. "Drink the tea, it will help soothe your pain."

Tamika took hold of the cup and sipped it. The tea did help soothe the pain in her heart, it also made her sleepy. She looked up at Byakuya's whose gray eyes looked at her with a silent gaze. "The tea does help soothe the pain, but I know it will return."

"Pain will always leave a scar on our hearts, Tamika. Time will soothe the hurt." He whispered softly, as he placed the cup down and started to stand up.

Tamika quickly stood up and escorted Byakuya to the door, bowed to him before he flash stepped away. She closed her door and went to her bed chamber where she laid down on her futon bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The servant came into the room to see how she was before turning to look at the man who stood there. "She is in a deep sleep, taicho. I doubt she will awaken very easily."

"Play the worried servant in the morning come to the captains' meeting. I will make sure that he is there," The captain said, before vanishing into the wind.

Meanwhile, a hell's butterfly which was a black winged butterfly appeared next to Renji in Tamika's house. It delivered a message from his captain to return to Seireitei in the morning for his report on how Ichigo was doing. "Fine, tell them I will be there." Renji snapped.

Another hell's butterfly appeared next to Ichigo and Rukia and delivered a message to them but it was different than the one that Renji received.

"Ichigo, are we going to return?" Rukia asked.

"Yes, I must ask the others to come with us as I am sure that they would want to see Tamika again." Ichigo replied as he looked at Rukia. "You know what's funny, that Renji hasn't dared me at all to get back at me for what I did to him with Tamika."

"Well, he might be planning a real nasty stunt for you to do, Ichigo. When you see him again, you might want to hope that he forgot about the dare you made him do and hope that he has indeed forgotten about the dare." Rukia said. "But he may be plotting a proper dare for you later. So I would watch your step around him."

"Let's get the others and head for Urahara's shop and see about getting him to open his portal to Seireitei, so we can go see Tamika." Ichigo replied, as Rukia and he headed out of the house towards where they knew where some of their friends hanged out at. Once they heard what was planned, they all headed for Kisuke's shop and waited for Renji to show up.

Once, Renji appeared, Kisuke and Tessai opened the portal to Seireitei and the friends jumped through it.

Tessai looked at Kisuke. "Manager, will they bring Tamika back to the living world?"

"I am not sure. It is for her to decide. But he must realize that he loves her before she makes her decision on staying there or living in Seireitei. Tessai." Kisuke stated, as he placed his hand to the portal only to get a shock. He was still banned from venturing to Seireitei. He closed the portal down and slowly started to walk back to the ladder and to the store.

**TBC. . .**


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors' Note**: _Thank you to all who have reviewed. I appreciate each and every review by all the readers very much. It warms the heart of this writer._

_I'm sorry it took me so long in finishing loading this chapter here. It has been hard with Writers' Block deciding to hit me so often with this story._

_Please enjoy!_

**Chapter Ten.**

Ukitake stood waiting at the gate on the execution grounds as Renji and the others appeared out of the gate. He smiled at the Official Shinigami who bowed to him and gave him a smirk. "It is good to see that you have returned, Kurosaki-san." He turned to Renji. "We are waiting for your report on his job, Abarai-san. But that will wait till morning. We have a house for our Official Shinigami to be in while he's here."

Ichigo looked at him shocked. "I'm sure that one of the Captains won't mind housing us for the short time we are here, but if there is a house for us all, I'm not one to back down from accepting it."

Ukitake smiled as he turned from them as Ichigo walked by his side. "I will escort you to the house, as Abarai-kun needs to go to his squad's house and make himself known before Kuchiki gets upset with him for not reporting in immediately."

Renji knew he would get in trouble for not reporting in so he smirked at Ichigo and flash stepped away towards his squad's house.

Orihime looked at Ukitake. "Why would Kurosaki-kun have a house of his own while he's here?"

Ukitake smiled. "If we allowed him to dorm in one of the squads, Kenpachi would wake him up in the middle of the night to fight him, so we made sure that he has his own place to live."

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "That was real thoughtful of you guys for doing that."

Ukitake smiled before he broke into a cough that lasted for several moments. They waited till his cough got quieted before continuing on the way. Ukitake walked past a house that was brightly lit, he paused there before he continued on. "That was weird, usually her house would be dark at this hour."

"Who's house did we just pass, Ukitake?" asked Ichigo.

"Nara-kun's house. I guess she must have just returned from the living world this evening. From what I felt, she was quite upset." Ukitake stated, as they walked on.

"Is her first name . . . Tamika?" Ichigo said, stopping right in the middle of the street.

"Well, yes, how do you know her? She rarely gets involved in any of the other Shinigami's work."

"We met her when she got into an accident at one of the shops. Tamika-kun never told us her last name or anything about her family." Orihime said.

Ukitake smiled. "She is called the hooded Shinigami. I believe she will be at the meeting in the morning. You can see her in action then. She probably will be sparing with one of the Captains after the meeting is over with. She usually does that with them. Kenpachi-taicho is usually her sparing partner or maybe one of the other captains if they are into a spar."

"She takes on Kenpachi herself?" asked Ichigo. "And here I am usually running from fighting him."

"She holds herself against him even though she told him not to hold back on her. They both get cut up before they call it an end which could be days from when they started," Ukitake stated, as they walked on.

"Aren't we going to say hi to her?" asked Uryû, looking back at the house gates as they got further away from the house itself.

"You will have plenty of time to see her. She usually attends the Captain and Vice-Captains' meetings." Ukitake stated, as he went down the corridor before he opened a door to a residence. "Well, here's the home you will be staying at while you are here. I would host you all in my home's guest quarters but I got my sisters and brothers staying there. This house will have to do for you for now."

"We could stay with Rukia or Renji for the short period we're here for." Ichigo stated.

"True, but Rukia lives with her brother and Renji has roommates from the sixth squad living with him at the time being. And this house is big enough for you all and the owner of the house doesn't mind sharing since he is off in the living world doing some Hollow work and he told us to allow visitors to reside in his home while he's gone." Ukitake stated.

"That is very kind of him to allow visitors to reside in his home. Thank him for us when he returns," Ichigo replied.

"I will when he returns." Ukitake said, as he glanced over to see Orihime looking at the name plate of the owner, even though it was not visible by the overgrowth that was on it.

Orihime pulled some of the overgrowth that was covering the house's owner's name to find that the name on the door was that of Ichigo's last name. She looked at Ukitake and opened her mouth to speak when he nodded slightly before turning away from her and entering the courtyard.

"I'm sorry it is dark at the moment, let me find the light." Ukitake said. It took him a minute to find a torch to light before heading to the other lights to get them alight. "The former owner liked the flame torches, he probably would like other ways now."

The courtyard was still nicely kept as a cherry tree sat in the middle of the yard. There was at least three buildings attached to the walkway on which they stood upon. They went to the guest quarters to find plenty of room to house them all while they are there. Orihime picked one of the rooms closest to the main door as Chad, Ishida and Ichigo picked other rooms. Ukitake bid them a good night and left the residence for his own but only after stopping at the 4th division to get some cough syrup to help sooth his cough that he had, even though it was not a cold that caused his coughing.

He saw Byakuya standing in front of his gate leading into his home. "They're here at his home. Did Renji pay you a visit?"

"Yes, he did. I told him to retire to his home and meet me in the morning. I don't think he will even consider seeing Nara-kun anytime soon. He told me when I asked him about Nara-kun, that he doesn't want to talk about it and stormed out of the room at a quick pace." Byakuya stated, softly.

"Think he will be concerned when he learns what happened to her?"

Byakuya shook his head slightly. "The only ones who would worry is her friends from the living world." Once, those words came from his lips, he slipped back into his house and closed the doors.

Ukitake nodded slightly and headed for home.

The next morning, in the meeting hall of the first squad, Ichigo and his friends watched as the captains all made their appearance, Kenpachi Zaraki grinned big when he saw Ichigo, Yachiru waved to him before standing slightly behind her captain.

Yamamoto-Genryûsai Shigekuni looked towards Renji who stood next to his captain. "Abarai-san, make your report on the doings of the Official Shinigami."

Renji stepped forth and proceeded to make his report to the captains and to the general. It was during this that Ichigo looked around the captains looking for Tamika in the ranks but she wasn't there.

It was about ten minutes into Renji's report when a commotion was heard outside of the doors before the doors were shoved open and a servant came racing into the room, she raced to where Byakuya was standing and immediately dropped to her knees.

"Kuchiki-san, I was told if anything happened to come get you! It's Nara-san, she won't wake up! I tried everything to awaken her but she's not!" The young servant immediately started to bawl her eyes out.

Byakuya Kuchiki turned to look at Yamamoto and bowed before he turned to the servant girl and told her to lead the way. Just as they reached the doors, another voice was heard. Byakuya turned to see the captain of the 4th division with her vice captain behind her approaching them.

Unohana spoke, "I would like to come as this may be a medical problem."

Byakuya nodded before he noticed Ichigo and his friends approaching. He only slightly smiled towards them before turning to leave the room with the servant. He made a note mentally that Renji didn't even budge from his spot before he went out of the room.

They reached Nara-san's home and were allowed entrance after they removed their shoes and hurried towards Nara-san's bedchambers to see her lying on a Western styled bed completely unconscious covered up only in a blanket and her white top.

Unohana quickly knelt by her side and started to examine her, while the others waited from the door way.

The servant asked if she could bring tea for them to drink. Byakuya nodded as the young woman bowed and went racing off to fetch the tea for them. Byakuya noticed how Ichigo was looking within the room. "She will do her best to awaken her, Kurosaki-san."

"I know, Byakuya, I just want to know what cause her this much pain to comatose herself," Ichigo stated.

Byakuya silently moaned as the young man called him by his first name instead of his last as it was proper to do. "Unohana-Taicho will tell us when she will awaken."

The servant girl brought the tea and poured it for them. She barely glanced at Byakuya as she handed him the warm cup of tea, which he took from her with a nod before the servant girl gave Ichigo his cup of tea. The girl glanced over to see Unohana-Taicho still working on figuring out why Tamika was not walking.

Ichigo smiled softly. "Tamika is in good hands. She'll figure this out." '_I hope._'

The girl looked up at Ichigo and then over to Byakuya, before she turned to her mistress with a worried look on her face. "Nara-san came home last night upset. Didn't say why but she was hurt in some way that she didn't say. I think the living world hurt her in some way."

Ichigo turned to look at Byakuya for any sign that he may know what hurt her, but all he got was the same cold stare that he would give to almost everyone. Ichigo sighed as he turned his attention to Unohana and Tamika. The sounds of footsteps and the jingling of bells were heard approaching the room. He turned to see the tall Captain Kenpachi standing there with his '_daughter_' hanging onto his shoulder as always.

"How is she?" Kenpachi asked, as he took to kneeling near to the other two men.

"Asleep, a deep sleep that she's not waking up from." Ichigo stated, looking at him.

Yachiru hopped off his shoulder and walked over to Unohana and knelt next to her as she looked up to the doctor Captain. "Is Tamika going to be okay, Unohana-san?"

The young woman turned to look at her, eyes showing just the slight pain before turning completely around to face the three men and the young girl. "I'm afraid I cannot awaken her. I have tried everything but nothing is working as of yet. I am hoping that being around her friends or Captains that she admires might help her to wake up."

Kenpachi nodded as did Ichigo, Byakuya's eyes did the only motion he could do. Yachiru spoke, "We will stay with her and talk to her. Maybe one of us will wake her up."

That started the visits from the Captains she liked and her friends which turned out to be very little but for the humans who came with Ichigo. They all noticed the lack of her friends and realized that she didn't have any beyond the servants she had within her own home.

Ichigo noticed from the guest quarters in Tamika's home that there was one Vice Captain who never showed up to pay a visit. He turned to the others and spoke, "I need to go find someone and see if he won't come and pay her a visit. I think she needs to hear his voice or at least feel his reistu in the room. I'll be back not sure when but I'll probably be back by nightfall."

The others nodded as Ichigo went out of the quarters and headed out of Nara-san's home to start searching for the one he seeked. Ichigo asked the servant who was waiting by the door where to find the 11th division squad building was located at; after he got the information, he headed in that direction.

**TBC. . .**


	11. Chapter 11

**Authors' Note**: _Thank you to all who have reviewed. I appreciate each and every review by all the readers very much. It warms the heart of this writer._

_I'm sorry it took me so long in finishing loading this chapter here. It has been hard with Writers' Block deciding to hit me so often with this story._

_Please enjoy!_

**Chapter Eleven.**

Ichigo first went to the 11th division to find out his whereabouts of his residence or where he most likely would be at at this time. He found the 3rd seat and the 5th seat at the division waiting for him at the front gate.

"Hi Ichigo. Kenpachi isn't here to spar with you." Ikkaku; the 3rd seat smirked.

"I'm not here to spar with him, guys." Ichigo stated.

Yumichika, the 5th seat smiled daintily, "He went to see Tamika. Of all the women he has been around, he likes her the most since she can fight him and can laugh in his face for trying to go soft on her. She is a great friend. How is she doing?"

"Not out of her sleep that she's in. I'm trying to find Renji. I was hoping that he was here visiting." Ichigo asked.

"Nah, he is probably prowling the pubs getting himself drunk and probably going to get into a pub fight. We'll help you search for him." Ikkaku stated, as they started to walk out of the 11th division quarters towards Rukongai where all the pubs were located at.

They went to most of the pubs that they would be at and found no Renji. None of the bartenders saw him that night and neither did the other customers, even though they heard of him; they didn't see him at the pub.

Ichigo walked out of Ijouseiyoku, the last pub that they checked. "Damn, I thought he would probably have gone to the first pub he saw and remained there."

"Well there is one pub we have yet to check and it's one that we went by and didn't check first." Ikkaku stated, looking at him.

"What? And you didn't tell me about that one?" Ichigo snapped, glaring at them both.

"Yeah, it's called Harikata. It is known by us 11th division members. It is our main pub to go to when the others are too dull for our tastes." Ikkaku replied, as they headed towards the pub.

They walked there instead of flash stepping to the pub, when they got there; they noticed a few people standing outside. Yumichika and Ikkaku with Ichigo walked past the small gathering of men and went inside. They noticed that the room was filled with men who were half way drunk or already there. But Ichigo was scanning the room looking for one red head.

"There! I found Renji." He pointed in the direction Renji was at, at the bar, Ichigo quickly headed towards the bar and stood by Renji. "There you are. I was searching for you!"

Renji looked at him and slapped him hard on the back. He grabbed him and yelled at the barkeep. "Bring him a bowl! Drink, Ichigo and get drunk with me!"

"Renji, I'm not that old to drink legally." Ichigo stated, as he tried to push the offered bowl away from him. "And you are drunk."

"Meh, come it will loosen you up!" Renji said, as he poured sake into the bowl and pushed it towards Ichigo.

"Renji, I said no and you are drunk! Come on, I'm getting you out of here and sober up. Now where is your coin purse, so I can pay the man." Ichigo growled as he felt around on Renji's person to look for his coin purse. "Stupid fuck! You forgot to bring your coin purse!"

Renji just smirked as he made some gutteral laughs as his head rolled to side to side.

Ichigo turned to glance over at Ikkaku. "Can you cover his drinks, Ikkaku. I don't have Soul Society money on me."

Ikkaku smirked, as he pulled out his coin purse and paid the barkeep. "Renji, you are going to have to pay me back for this! Next round of drinking out is on you." After he said that, he went to the other side of Renji and lifted him up. He turned to look at Ichigo. "Where to, boss?"

"His residence. We can sober him up there with some hot and cold water before I haul him off to see Tamika." Ichigo said, as they dragged Renji back to his quarters where some of the sixth division members watched as their Vice Captain was dragged into the courtyard where couple barrels were waiting filled with hot and cold water.

"Ichigo, how are we going to sober him up?" asked Yumichika, as he held couple towels in hand.

"By this," Ichigo promptly pushed Renji's head into the cold water and then pulled it out fast and then right into the hot water and he repeated it several times before Renji knocked him away.

"Enough! That's enough!" Renji roared, as he glared at Ichigo through his wet hair. "What the fuck are you trying to do to me, Ichigo? Drown me?"

"Trying to sober your sorry, drunken ass up!" Ichigo roared, glaring at him. "Besides you need to see her. You haven't even been to her house since we came and learned about her condition."

"Why should I worry about that lying bitch?" Renji growled off, crossing his arms in front of him.

Ichigo was shocked by his behavior for what he remembered they were friendly towards each other. "So what happened to cause you to call her that, Renji?"

"She wagered with Matsumoto that I had tattoos on him," Renji stated, pointing towards his crouch.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You should have known that women would wonder if you did him just like you did your body, Renji. But come on, there's no reason to hate her for that. She probably was turned on by it."

Renji just growled as he looked at Ichigo.

Ichigo threw his hands up and sighed. "I dare you to go see her and ask her if she was turned on seeing him tattooed."

Renji, who wouldn't have taken that dare if he was sober but since he was drunk. He stalked away from Ichigo towards Nara's home. Ichigo followed him to the house and he was escorted by one of her servants to the bedchamber where Rukia was kneeling by her bedside and trying to get her to wake up but to no avail. Renji knelt next to her and knowing that a sleeping person would not really notice their presence if they are a heavy sleeper, he turned on his spirit pressure letting it flow over her like a warm blanket. "Rukia? Please leave." Renji growled.

Rukia looked at him. Never in all her time as a Kuchiki, did Renji tell her to leave. "No, I will not leave."

Ichigo appeared at the door. "Come on, Rukia, he needs to talk to her privately."

Rukia bowed to Tamika and backed out of the room before she turned and walked back to the guest rooms. "She still hasn't stirred, Ichigo. I grow very worried about her."

"Aye, as we all do. Only one who knows when she awakens is her and she's not talking." Ichigo replied, as they sat down on the pillows looking towards Tamika's bedchambers.

Uryû looked at them and then to Tamika's room to see Renji getting up. "Renji-san is getting up, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo looked up just in time to see Renji flash stepping away, he scrambled to get up. "Why would he run off like that?"

Rukia looked at him. "Renji may have said something to her that made him quite emotional and not wanting to be seen in that state by anyone, he fled."

"Rukia-chan, do you know anything about their friendship? The one between Tamika-chan and Renji-kun?" Orihime asked, looking at her.

"I do not know much beyond that they have went on missions together but never really seen them together outside of missions that Tamika is placed on with Renji." Rukia said. "Maybe my brother knows more about their friendship?"

Orihime looked at them and nodded. "He does look like he cares about Tamika. So he might know more to their friendship,"

Ichigo looked at Rukia. "He probably would give me the cold shoulder if I asked him about her and Renji's friendship. He probably would tell you, Rukia about it."

Rukia looked at him with a scowl on her face. "As if my brother would do that, he probably knows of their friendship but won't devulge any because it is not like him to gossip about it. Tamika's servants on the other hand may be tempted to talk about their mistress."

Orihime stood up and headed towards the main doors. "You two can ask the servants, I'm going to see Byakuya-sama." Just as she reached the doors, the chime rang off. Since she was there, she opened the doors to see Byakuya standing there. She bowed to him as she waved her hand allowing him entrance. "I was just about to come see you, Byakuya-sama."

Byakuya arched his eye as he looked at her. "You were? About what?"

"About Tamika's friendship with Renji. He seemed quite upset when he left." Orihime stated.

Byakuya looked at her mildly shocked. "You really need to speak with either of them about it. So has she stirred?"

Orihime shook her head as she walked with him. "No, she has yet to awaken. And our time grows short here since we only were to be here for couple of days not three days."

Byakuya looked at her and then glanced to the guest house to see the other three friends sitting there watching. "Then, you will be heading back today?"

"Yes, most likely." Orihime stated. "But if there is any sign of her waking, we may stay longer, if that is alright with you."

Byakuya nodded slightly before he knelt next to his sister and to Tamika. He opened up his presence to Tamika and allowed it to flow over her like a blanket.

Orihime was just about to walk back to the others when she heard Rukia's voice cry out in shock. Orihime turned to see Byakuya holding Tamika's raised hand and her eyes were open.

The others raced from the guest house to Tamika's room. Byakuya's eyes told Ichigo that they better let her take her time in waking fully up.

They sat there watching as she slowly came aware of their presence. She tried to speak but her voice was dry.

Byakuya spoke gently as his hand reached for some water and with Ichigo's help assisted her to a sitting position in bed and held the cup to her lips. "Drink, you need to moisten your throat before you can speak, Nara-san."

Tamika nodded as she sipped the water from the cup and finally accepted the cup and downed it as quickly as possible. Ichigo noticed she needed more and took the pitcher, pouring more water into the cup. She smiled as she drank enough water to comfortably talk. "Why are you here within my home and my chambers?"

Ichigo and Orihime turned to Byakuya for the answers. He knelt next to her and spoke, gently. "Your servant came to the Captains' meeting extremely upset. You were not waking up and I came with Unohana-taicho to see what was wrong. You had as what Kurosaki-san said, comatose yourself. Your favorite Captains came to pay visits to see if you would waken after you sense their presence. But it has been over three days . . . "

"Three days! Crap! Orihime, tell the others we need to go!" Ichigo said, after he realized that they had spent three days there. "I'm sorry we can't stay longer, Tamika. But we have school in a few hours from now."

"I understand. They will not remember that I was even there. So you do not have to worry about making any excuse about where I am, unless there are those who remember that I was there." Tamika whispered. "I will not come back there except on Shinigami business."

Ichigo and Orihime nodded before they left the room to gather their friends, who stopped by to say hello and farewell to Tamika before they left her home. Byakuya showed them out of the house before he flashstepped to the 4th division to alert Unohana that Nara-san was awake before he returned to her side.

When Byakuya returned to Nara-san's home, he found Rukia and she talking quietly, mainly about her human friends who came to see her. Rukia turned to see her brother come into the room where he knelt next to her. "Niisama, did they go already?"

Byakuya nodded. "Just now. Unohona-taicho will be here shortly to check you over, Nara-san."

Tamika nodded as she leaned against her pillow; she was looking at her hands when she asked a question.

"Renji? Yes he was here but he left in a hurry, a few minutes before you woke, Nara-san." Rukia said.

Tamika looked at her and then back to her hands. "Figured he wouldn't want to see me at all."

"Well, Ichigo did dare him while he was sobering up, to see you." Rukia stated.

"Sobering up? Then, that's why his reistu was so odd." Tamika replied softly.

Rukia glanced at her older brother before turning to Tamika. "You were unconscious?"

"He spread his reistu over me like everyone else did. I thought something was odd about his. But I didn't know that he was drunk." Tamika stated.

Rukia nodded. "Ichigo found him in Harikata, one of the favorite hang outs for the 11th division members, drunk as he could get. I heard Ichigo did the water barrel treatment on him to get him somewhat sober."

Tamika's laughter was a welcomed noise coming from her when Unohana-taicho entered the room. The doctor Shinigami just smiled when she heard the noise come from her. She was pleased that she had awakened.

Rukia and Byakuya stepped from the room to allow Unohana to check on her health before allowing them to come back into the room to hear the results.

"She's as healthy as any one of us. The reason for her long sleep is unknown. I have no clue to why she slept for so long. So this is a medical mystery." Unohana stated.

Byakuya nodded as Rukia tried to ask what did she mean by that, but Byakuya's hand on her shoulder made her look at her brother. "Niiasan?"

Byakuya shook his head as he thanked Unohana for coming. She smiled and bowed to all three of them before she left the room. When she got back to the 4th division, she saw Renji emerging from the building. She smiled at him. "How is the hangover, Abarai-san?"

Renji looked at her. "Not as bad as it would have if Ichigo didn't stop me from drinking anymore,"

Unohana smiled as she walked past him and into the building without another word.

Renji continued his way back to his home, went to his bath and drew himself a bath before he headed for the 6th division office to do some paperwork before he returned to his home and to bed.

**TBC. . .  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note**: _To all of my readers and reviewers, I'm sorry it took me so long in getting this chapter posted. Ken-chan is a hard man to write as is Byakuya. I am not sure how he would really act with a crying woman or that he would hold a crying woman, so if he seems out of character, I am basing his reaction to what I would assume that his reaction would be. Thank you for reading this chapter. The next one will be coming soon._

**Chapter Twelve.  
**

Earlier that day, Rukia, Byakuya talked with Tamika till she made the comment about taking a bath and seeing about if Kenpachi wanted to spar with her. Rukia and Byakuya left her home so she could get ready to spar with Kenpachi.

Tamika was sitting in front of her dresser trying to brush out her hair of the tangles when a hand took the brush from her hand and started to brush it out. Tamika turned her head and looked to see a captain's cloak and the familiar sash of the Kuchiki family. "Byakuya?"

"Hush. Let me finish brushing out your hair, Nara-san." Byakuya whispered, as he took a section of her long hair and started to brush it out.

Tamika leaned into the gentle brushing of her hair. She loved it when someone would brush her hair for her. She smiled as she felt the brush go over her hair again and again till all the tangles were gone. She glanced at Byakuya and smiled only did she notice the flash of black and black flash out of sight of her mirror. By how Byakuya looked, he too, had seen who it was. "Was it Renji?"

"No, but this will get back to him." Byakuya stated.

"He probably won't even consider me a friend and not get worried or concerned about you an unmated being within a room of an unmated woman." Tamika replied.

Byakuya nodded silently before he reached for her hair tie to place it in her hair when a voice came from the door. He turned to see his sister Rukia standing there, did he really notice how scandalous he and Tamika looked. She was only wearing her robe and he fully in his captain's uniform.

"Nii-sama!" Rukia cried out, in shock.

Byakuya turned fully to look at her. "Rukia-san, I was only helping her with her hair. Nothing wrong with that is there?"

"No, but servants will talk," Rukia reminded her older brother. "Besides, they will think you; the Ice Prince of Soul Society finally got his icy heart broken by her."

Byakuya smiled before he started to softly chuckle. "Ice Prince? They call me that?"

"Yes, and one of them came from the real world – banana butt." Rukia stated.

"Who called me that name and why?" Byakuya asked.

"Ichigo said that. I think he said it was a joke name for you, but seriously I can see why he would call you that. You are straight like a banana and at times you can be a butt head about the rules." Rukia replied.

Byakuya just shook his head softly before he placed the brush down on the dresser and bowed to Tamika before leaving her room stating something about going back to his division and get some papers done.

Tamika waited till he was gone completely before she gave Rukia a soft glare. "I better get dressed so I can meet up with Zaraki."

"I'll walk with you to the 11th division, I think we need to talk about someone," Rukia stated, looking at her.

"Renji, right?" Tamika asked.

Rukia shook her head. "No, someone who had just left the room."

Tamika smiled as she lowered her head.

Rukia placed her hand on her shoulder. "It is okay. I am pleased that my brother found someone to be interested in since his wife passed on."

Tamika looked at Ruka before she went behind the dressing screen. "We're only friends, Rukia."

"Friends for the moment, but I think there is more than you are saying to me, Tamika. I think you like him too,"

Tamika's head emerged from the dressing screen. "I like Byakuya but we could never be husband and wife,"

"Why not? You are from a noble family, and I'm sure that our family would welcome you into our family as his wife." Rukia stated. "I think you are worthy of being his wife."

"I am not from a high ranking noble family, Rukia, I'm just like Jûshirô, but for him, he has siblings, me I am the only one of my lower class family." Tamika said, as they walked down the street towards the 12 division station.

"But you do have feelings for him, do you not?" asked Rukia.

Tamika stopped in her tracks as she looked at her. She looked at her. "For Renji, I . . . do not . . . know. I know I feel something for him but what I am not sure."

"Not him! My brother!" Rukia stated.

"Oh, I'm not sure, Rukia. I like him," Tamika replied, blushing as she misinterpreted her question.

"So you do have something for him!" Rukia said, smiling. "I don't mind if you have feelings for him. He needs someone to love and I am sure that you would make a wonderful wife for him, since my sister . . ."

"Oh I could never steal another woman's husband!" Tamika stated, as she looked at Rukia, shocked that the girl had suggested that.

"My sister, his wife is dead. It has been years since my brother fell in love with anyone." Rukia replied.

Tamika blushed before she turned her head away from Rukia and started to walk down the street.

"I'm sorry if I seemed abrupt but I figured that you felt something for my brother," Rukia said after she caught up with her.

"I like him but he should really stay single as there may be a better woman out there that would really be good for him," Tamika stated, as they neared the home of the 11th division.

"But what if it is you who is the right one for him, Tamika?" Rukia said.

Tamika was about to open her mouth when the little, pink haired vice captain jumped from her location on top of the roof of the 11th division's building right into Tamika's arms. "Hello Yachiru. I see that you are still trying to catch me by surprise."

"Well, I can try, can't I, Tamika?" Yachiru asked, smiling up at her as she placed her down on the ground.

"Yes, but where is Kenpachi? Is he waiting for me in the training room like always?" Tamika asked.

"No, Ken-chan is waiting for you in the courtyard," Yachiru smiled as she hurried off yelling that Tamika was here.

"Uh oh, isn't the courtyard where Zaraki actually goes to think?" Rukia asked.

"Yes, but why would he there unless there is something going on in Soul Society that got him thinking which bodes ill for whoever it may be," Tamika stated, as they headed for the courtyard to see the giant captain sitting with tea in his hand. "Greeting Zaraki,"

"Ah! Tamika, just the one I wanted to see, I hear rumors of you and the dog Renji secretly being an item, is what the weaklings in 4th division say is true?"

Tamika smiled and shook her head. "Sorry, that information is sorely out dated. That dog and I are no item. I am now alone."

Zaraki grinned. "I always figured Renji fancied Kuchiki. Especially how he always seeks to be his equal,"

"Renji loves my brother! Nah, he wants to beat him but loves him, I doubt it." Rukia stated.

"Renji can do whatever he wants, I care not." Tamika stated.

Zaraki looked at Tamika. "He hurt your feelings, did he not?"

"And what if he did, Zaraki. You don't care about feelings," Tamika snapped.

"They are a part of pride; hurt pride will only fester till retribution is served."

Tamika said nothing as she picked up the cup of tea and took a sip from it.

"He hurt your pride, and thus issued the challenge, your pride to mend itself demands Renji's complete defeat."

"And who would win my pride back for me, Zaraki?" Tamika snapped.

"It's your own battle, no one else can fight it."

Tamika sat there looking at him as the words drift into her head. It was true, she would have to fight him to regain her pride. But he was a powerful vice captain who could do a Bankai and yet her's was so weak it would fall to Renji's. "I do not know if I could defeat him, his Bankai is more powerful than mine."

"I'm sure there are other ways." was all Zaraki said.

"Other ways?" Rukia asked.

Zaraki sipped his tea not giving a reply, Yamachika was more knowledgeable in the other ways then he was.

"Be that way!" Rukia snapped. She turned from Zaraki to Tamika "We'll figure it out, Tamika."

"I don't know. Maybe I should write him a letter telling him that I thought it was sexy to have him tattooed and that we need to talk?" Tamika said.

Rukia looked weird. "Have him tattooed? What do you mean by that Tamika?"

"Didn't you know? Renji had his penis tattooed." Tamika said, and then immediately regretted it as she slapped her hand to her mouth.

"You saw that!" Rukia exclaimed.

"Yes, just right before we were about to make out and I made a comment out loud about winning the bet between me and the vice captain of the tenth division that Renji tattooed his penis." Tamika stated, still blushing about what happened.

"And how'd he react?"

"At first he was okay with it but then he got angry and stormed out of the room. He thinks that all I wanted was to see him naked to see if he did tattoo his penis but I really wanted him, Rukia." Tamika replied.

"So the break up wasn't completely his fault, things you've said have also made him uncomfortable."

"Maybe I should apologize for what I said to him?" Tamika asked.

Zaraki smiled as he sipped his tea. He just loved listening to them talk and not a say a word. "That would be a start."

Both Rukia and Tamika jumped out of their skin before they looked at him before giggling like girls, blushing hard. Tamika looked at Rukia. "He was so silent, I forgot that we were in his presence,"

Yachiru smiled too from her seat in Zaraki's lap. "You forgot about me!"

The two girls blushed in embarassment, usually Yachiru wasn't this quiet. Tamika looked over at Yachiru seated perfectly in Zaraki's lap with a cup in her hand. She lowered her head. "Young girls like yourself shouldn't hear . . . ."

"Well, I hear far worse from the others when they get their asses whipped by Ken-chan!" Yachiru stated.

"Even when Ichigo beat him up?" Tamika asked.

"Ichy and Ken-chan were having fun!" The pink haired girl stated, smiling big.

"Fun?"

"Ichi-chan was able to let Ken-chan to fight at his best . . . Ken-chan likes Ichi-chan for that."

All Zaraki did was smile his devilish smile and said not a word. He was proud of his vice captain.

Tamika could only shake her head. "So I should start off by apologizing to him?"

"Yes, that would be a good start, Tamika. Then, let him make the next move, don't move first." Zaraki stated, as he reached for the pot of tea and poured more into their cups.

"Speaking from experience?"

"I find Unohana-taicho to be more then she seems. Let's leave it at that."

"Okay, we found his second weak spot, Tamika." Rukia stated.

"What do you mean? He likes her that's all. It's not like he goes out of his way to get injured so she would nurse maid him." Tamika replied.

Zaraki refrained from comment, getting injured was all part of the fun of battle, having them tended to by those wonderful hands was simply a bonus.

Rukia smiled. "The only one who would nurse maid him is Yachiru after he is put back in bed by the 4th squad."

Yachiru stuck out her tongue at Rukia in defiance.

Rukia just laughed. "I think we better head back to your home, Tamika before my brother starts a search party for you and you can get to work on writing the letter to Renji."

Tamika nodded as they both stood up and bowed to Zaraki before they left his division with new insight on the battle loving captain and a little information on how to get a man back.

* * *

  
"I think Kenpachi likes Unohana," Tamika whispered. Rukia nodded as they walked towards Renji's house and she knocked on the door. They both waited for several minutes to see one of the men from the 6th division standing there.

"Is Abarai-san in?" asked Tamika.

"I will check." He closed the door and hurried away. He found Renji under his Cherry tree. "Abarai-san, there are two women out front looking for you. Shall I let them in?"

Renji turned towards him and asked, "What do they look like?"

"One is short and black haired, looks noble and the other is the rogue Shinigami Tamika."

"Rukia and the bitch. Tell them that I am not in and take a message from Rukia." Renji growled.

He nodded and rushed back to the door, "Sorry to keep you waiting. But he is not here, may I take a message for him when he returns."

Tamika looked at him. "Tell him Tamika apologizes for what she said earlier in the living world. Come on, Rukia, the dog isn't here."

The lad returned to Renji's side. "I have the message from Tamika. She said that she apologizes for what she said in the living world."

Renji looked at him and then to his hands. "I doubt she really means that."

"Sir, she looked very disappointed that you didn't come to the door. She looked sad when I told her that you were out." He said.

"She was probably doing that to get sympathy from you. She's nothing more than a rich bitch," Renji snarled off, and with that he turned his back to the lad.

Rukia nodded and they walked down the path heading for the Nara residence. Once, far from Renji's residence, Rukia looked at her. "He was there. I felt his spirit pressure."

"I know, I felt it too. It just means that he didn't want to see either of us." Tamika said, as she walked on with her head down and not letting Rukia see the tears that came from her eyes, so she was not watching where she was going till she heard Rukia's voice cry out.

"Tamika, stop!"

Tamika stopped fast and looked up to see Byakuya's white sash and captain's cloak in front of her. She was embarrassed that he saw her with tears in her eyes. She was about to wipe them aside when his hand reached up and wiped one of her streaks of tears away.

"Why the tears?" Byakuya asked, as he looked at her.

"It's nothing, Kuchiki-sama." Tamika stated.

Byakuya looked at his sister. Rukia spoke, "Renji rejected her again. Didn't even come to the door when we paid him a visit."

"And we knew he were there too!" Tamika spat out. She was not very happy being rejected by Renji again. "I went there to apologize to him and he refused to even show his face to me. I guess he really doesn't have any feelings for me then." Tamika walked around Byakuya and headed down the path towards her residence where she entered and left the door open.

They reached the door of her residence to see her slipping within her chambers. Rukia looked up at her brother. "How will we get them together?"

"There is nothing we can do till he makes the first move. Till then, we support her." Byakuya stated. He walked to her chambers and knocked before entering.

Tamika was sitting in front of her mirror crying into her arms. "He never really did care for me at all."

Byakuya stood by her door watching her cry her heart out. 'Was it always like this for women who were rejected to feel this way?' he wondered. He approached her as he spoke, "He is a fool to let a fine woman like you go so easily."

"He doesn't care about me . . . Byakuya. No man has ever looked at me with such desire and then disgust all in a matter of a few seconds. He never really cared about me." Tamika said, as she looked at him.

"He will regret not taking you as his woman," Byakuya stated, as he strode towards her and placed his hand on her shoulder. He didn't expect her to turn, wrapping her arms around his waist and start to cry as she refused to let go. He looked around to see no one around before he wrapped his arms around her and comforted her. He knew his sister approached the room but he didn't care for once. Tamika needed the comfort and he wasn't going to let her cry alone. Too long he cried over his own broken heart of losing his wife - Hisana. He swore to himself that he would never feel that way again and here was a Shinigami who just had her own heart broken – the same feeling he felt was coming from her and that scared him. "Tamika, this matter has made you unfocused; you need to concentrate on something else to forget about the pain."

Tamika replied, "The pain of a broken heart hurts."

"I know, but you need to focus on your duties and let the pain go." Byakuya whispered.

"Brother?" Rukia whispered loud enough for him to hear her.

He glanced over to see her standing there. Byakuya looked at the young Shinigami who had wrapped her arms around his waist and crying on his sash. "I'll talk to you later, Rukia."

Rukia nodded and backed out of the room to go sit in front of Tamika's quarters for a while before she decided to meet her brother at home and left.

Byakuya turned his attention on Tamika and just held her till she no longer cried as she had fallen asleep in his arms. He called upon her servants to tend to her as he stepped from her quarters to gaze at the moon. "Is she asleep?"

"Yes, Kuchiki-sama." The girl said, looking at her feet.

"Thank you. I will take my leave," Byakuya stated, noticing that his sister was not there. He knew where she was and would be talking to her shortly.

"Let me walk you to the door, since my mistress is not able to." The girl spoke, as she led him to the gate and watched as the 6th division Captain walked down the path towards his residence. She never knew what the tall captain was thinking as he walked away. But she was glad that there was someone there to hold her when she started to cry. She was almost ready to appear in her room when Byakuya stepped into the room. She could tell that the ice that shaped his heart had started to melt when she wrapped her arms around him. Maybe there is a chance that Tamika will find love with one of the richest and most noble men in Soul Society – Byakuya.

**TBC . . .**


End file.
